Diode ratings

In addition to forward voltage drop (Vf) and peak inverse voltage (PIV), there are many other
ratings of diodes important to circuit design and component selection. Semiconductor
manufacturers provide detailed specifications on their products -- diodes included -- in
pulications known as datasheets. !atasheets for a wide variety of semiconductor components
may e found in reference ooks and on the internet. I personally prefer the internet as a source
of component specifications ecause all the data otained from manufacturer wesites are up-to-
date.
" typical diode datasheet will contain figures for the following parameters#
$a%imum repetitive reverse voltage & V''$, the ma%imum amount of voltage the diode can
withstand in reverse-ias mode, in repeated pulses. Ideally, this figure would e infinite.
$a%imum !( reverse voltage & V' or V!(, the ma%imum amount of voltage the diode can
withstand in reverse-ias mode on a continual asis. Ideally, this figure would e infinite.
$a%imum forward voltage & V), usually specified at the diode*s rated forward current. Ideally, this
figure would e +ero# the diode providing no opposition whatsoever to forward current. In reality,
the forward voltage is descried y the ,diode e-uation.,
$a%imum (average) forward current & I)("V), the ma%imum average amount of current the diode is
ale to conduct in forward ias mode. .his is fundamentally a thermal limitation# how much heat
can the P/ 0unction handle, given that dissipation power is e-ual to current (I) multiplied y
voltage (V or 1) and forward voltage is dependent upon oth current and 0unction temperature.
Ideally, this figure would e infinite.
$a%imum (peak or surge) forward current & I)S$ or if(surge), the ma%imum peak amount of current
the diode is ale to conduct in forward ias mode. "gain, this rating is limited y the diode
0unction*s thermal capacity, and is usually much higher than the average current rating due to
thermal inertia (the fact that it takes a finite amount of time for the diode to reach ma%imum
temperature for a given current). Ideally, this figure would e infinite.
$a%imum total dissipation & P!, the amount of power (in watts) allowale for the diode to
dissipate, given the dissipation (P&I1) of diode current multiplied y diode voltage drop, and also
the dissipation (P&I
2
') of diode current s-uared multiplied y ulk resistance. )undamentally
limited y the diode*s thermal capacity (aility to tolerate high temperatures).
3perating 0unction temperature & .4, the ma%imum allowale temperature for the diode*s P/
0unction, usually given in degrees (elsius (
o
(). 5eat is the ,"chilles* heel, of semiconductor
devices# they must e kept cool to function properly and give long service life.
Storage temperature range & .S.6, the range of allowale temperatures for storing a diode
(unpowered). Sometimes given in con0unction with operating 0unction temperature (.4), ecause
the ma%imum storage temperature and the ma%imum operating temperature ratings are often
identical. If anything, though, ma%imum storage temperature rating will e greater than the
ma%imum operating temperature rating.
.hermal resistance & '(7), the temperature difference etween 0unction and outside air ('(7)4")
or etween 0unction and leads ('(7)48) for a given power dissipation. 1%pressed in units of
degrees (elsius per watt (
o
(9:). Ideally, this figure would e +ero, meaning that the diode
package was a perfect thermal conductor and radiator, ale to transfer all heat energy from the
0unction to the outside air (or to the leads) with no difference in temperature across the thickness
of the diode package. " high thermal resistance means that the diode will uild up e%cessive
temperature at the 0unction (where it*s critical) despite est efforts at cooling the outside of the
diode, and thus will limit its ma%imum power dissipation.
$a%imum reverse current & I', the amount of current through the diode in reverse-bias operation,
with the ma%imum rated inverse voltage applied (V!(). Sometimes referred to as leakage current.
Ideally, this figure would e +ero, as a perfect diode would lock all current when reverse-iased.
In reality, it is very small compared to the ma%imum forward current.
.ypical 0unction capacitance & (4, the typical amount of capacitance intrinsic to the 0unction, due
to the depletion region acting as a dielectric separating the anode and cathode connections. .his
is usually a very small figure, measured in the range of picofarads (p)).
'everse recovery time & trr, the amount of time it takes for a diode to ,turn off, when the voltage
across it alternates from forward-ias to reverse-ias polarity. Ideally, this figure would e +ero#
the diode halting conduction immediately upon polarity reversal. )or a typical rectifier diode,
reverse recovery time is in the range of tens of microseconds; for a ,fast switching, diode, it may
only e a few nanoseconds.
$ost of these parameters vary with temperature or other operating conditions, and so a single
figure fails to fully descrie any given rating. .herefore, manufacturers provide graphs of
component ratings plotted against other variales (such as temperature), so that the circuit
designer has a etter idea of what the device is capale of.