Characteristics

Threshold
Voltage

Ideal Diode

Coventional Diode

Conventional diodes do have a threshold voltage.

This is the voltage which must be supplied to the
diode for it to conduct any considerable forward
current. For silicon diodes, the threshold voltage is
approximately 0.7V. For germanium diodes, it is
approximately 0.3V. This voltage is needed
Ideal diodes do not have a
so that the electrons of the n junction can have
threshold voltage. Once any
enough push to break the barrier in between and
forward voltage is applied
cross over into the p junction. This is how current
across the diode, it will
flows in a diode. Any voltage below the threshold
conduct current instantly
voltage will not be sufficient to push the electrons
across its junctions.
through from one barrier to the next. You can see
this marked on the diode characteristics curve.
Before the threshold point, very little current flows
across the diode. However,
after the diode receives a voltage above this, it
produces considerable current flow.

Ideal diodes have infinite

forward current when any
forward voltage is applied
across their terminals. This is
because in the ideal
condition, the internal
resistance of the diode would
Forward Current
be 0. The diode would have
no internal resistance at all.
Since current, I=V/R, an
infinite amount of current
would be conducted and
supplied to a circuit with an
ideal diode.

Conventional diodes conduct a large current when

forward voltage above its threshold voltage is
supplied to the diode, but it is still a finite amount of
current. Conventional diodes, even though small,
still have internal resistance. It is impossible to
create any physical component that does not have
some internal resistance. The resistance ensures
that the current will be finite in nature and cannot be
infinite.

Breakdown
Voltage

Ideal diodes do not have a

breakdown voltage. This is
because ideal diodes have
infinite resistance to reverse
voltage. It will not conduct
any current at all when
voltage is applied in reverse,
no matter how great the
voltage is.

Conventional diodes do have a breakdown voltage.

This is the reverse voltage that when applied to the
diode will cause the diode junctions to break down
and conduct a large amount of current, even though
the voltage is applied with incorrect polarity. A diode
should not conduct current when voltage is applied
the wrong way. However, after a certain point,
called the breakdown point, it will give way and
conduct.

Reverse
(leakage)
Current

Since an ideal diode does

A conventional diode will conduct some leakage
not have a breakdown point, current even when reverse voltage is applied, even
it never conducts any
when the reverse voltage hasn't reach the

reverse current, called

leakage current. It is a
perfect insulator when
voltage is applied in reverse.

breakdown point. After the breakdown voltage is

reached, it will conduct a large amount of current,
called avalanche current, in reverse. This is
because a conventional diode can never be a
perfect insulator and will give way if enough reverse
voltage is supplied to it.