P-N JUNCTION DIODE AND

ZENER DIODE
NURUL ZUHADA BINTI AHMAD
NUR AINA BINTI ABDULLAH
NUR HAFIZA BINTI JUNI
NURMALISA BT MD SARIB
NURUL NOORASYIKIN BT MOHAMAD
NASHARUDDIN

PN JUNCTIONS : OVERVIEW
The most important device is a junction
between a p-type region and an n-type
region
When the junction is first formed, due to the
concentration gradient, mobile charges
transfer near junction
Electrons leave n-type region and holes leave ptype region
These mobile carriers become minority carriers
in new region (cant penetrate far due to
recombination)
Due to charge transfer, a voltage difference
occurs between regions
This creates a field at the junction that causes
drift currents to oppose the diffusion current
In thermal equilibrium, drift current and
diffusion must balance

IN
S
T S
N
E ON
R I
R T
U
C NC
JU

PN

DIODE UNDER THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM

Minority Carrier Close to
Thermal Junction
p-type
Generation

J p ,drift - +
J n ,drift - ND
-

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

n-type

J n ,diff
J p ,diff

NA
E0

Recombination

qbi

Carrier with energy

below barrier height

Diffusion small since few carriers have enough energy to penetrate barrier
Drift current is small since minority carriers are few and far between: Only
minority carriers generated within a diffusion length can contribute current
Important Point: Minority drift current independent of barrier!
Diffusion current strong (exponential) function of barrier

REVERSE BIAS
Reverse Bias causes an increases barrier
to diffusion
Diffusion current is reduced exponentially

p-type

ND

+
+
+
+
+
+
+

n-type

NA
q (bi VR )

Drift current does not change

Net result: Small reverse
current

FORWARD BIAS
Forward bias causes an exponential
increase in the number of carriers with
sufficient energy to penetrate barrier
Diffusion current increases exponentially

p-type

ND

+
+
+
+
+
+
+

n-type

NA
q (bi VR )

Drift current does not change

Net result: Large forward
current

P-N JUNCTION DIODE

Free electrons on the n-side and free holes on the pside can initially diffuse across the junction. Uncovered
charges are left in the neighbourhood of the junction.
This region is depleted of mobile carriers and is
called the DEPLETION REGION (thickness 0.5 1.0
m).

P-N JUNCTION DIODE

On its own a p-type or n-type
semiconductor is not very useful.
However when combined very useful
devices can be made.
The p-n junction can be formed by
allowing a p-type material to diffuse
into a n-type region at high
temperatures.

The p-n junction has led to many

inventions like the diode, transistors
and integrated circuits.

P-N JUNCTION DIODE

The diffusion of electrons and holes stop
due to the barrier p.d (p.d across the
junction) reaching some critical value.
The barrier p.d (or the contact potential)
depends on the type of semiconductor,
temperature and doping densities.
At room temperature, typical values of
barrier p.d. are:
Ge ~ 0.2 0.4 V
Si ~ 0.6 0.8 V

P-N junction diode

I

ECE 663

P-N junction diode

I

V
qV/kT

I = I0(e

-1)

p
0

I = q(ni2/ND) (Lp/p)
ECE 663

pn

P-N JUNCTIONS - EQUILIBRIUM

<= P-type, low EF
- = fixed ionized acceptors
+ = mobile holes, p

<= N-type, high EF

+ = fixed ionized donors

- = mobile electrons, n

What happens when these bandstructures collide?

Fermi energy must be constant at equilibrium, so bands
must bend near interface
Far from the interface, bandstructures must revert

FORWARD BIAS P-N JUNCTION

When an external voltage is applied to
the P-N junction making the P side
positive with respect to the N side the
diode is said to be forward biased
(F.B).
The barrier p.d. is decreased by the
external applied voltage. The depletion
band narrows which urges majority
carriers to flow across the junction.
A F.B. diode has a very low resistance.

REVERSE BIAS P-N JUNCTION

When an external voltage is applied
to the PN junction making the P
side negative with respect to the N
side the diode is said to be Reverse
Biased (R.B.).
The barrier p.d. increases. The
depletion band widens preventing
the movement of majority carriers
across the junction.
A R.B. diode has a very high
resistance.

REVERSE BIAS P-N JUNCTION

Only thermally generated minority carriers
are urged across the p-n junction. Therefore the
magnitude of the reverse saturation current (or
reverse leakage current) depends on the
tem perature of the sem iconductor.
When the PN junction is reversed biased the
width of the depletion layer increases, however
if the reverse voltage gets too large a
phenomenon known as diode breakdown occurs.

ZERO BIASED PN JUNCTION DIODE

When a diode is connected in aZero

Biascondition, no external potential energy is
applied to the PN junction.However if the diodes
terminals are shorted together, a few holes
(majority carriers) in the P-type material with
enough energy to overcome the potential barrier
will move across the junction against this barrier
potential. This is known as the Forward
Current.
Likewise, holes generated in the N-type material
(minority carriers), find this situation favourable
and move across the junction in the opposite
direction. This is known as the Reverse
Current . This transfer of electrons and holes
back and forth across the PN junction is known as

Zener
Diode

INTRODUCTION
The zener diode is a silicon pn junction devices that differs from rectifier
diodes because it is designed for operation in the reverse-breakdown
region. The breakdown voltage of a zener diode is set by carefully
controlling the level during manufacture. The basic function of zener
diode is to maintain a specific voltage across its terminals within given
limits of line or load change. Typically it is used for providing a stable
reference voltage for use in power supplies and other equipment.

CONSTRUCTION OF ZENER
Zener diodes are designed to operate in reverse breakdown. Two types of reverse
breakdown in a zener diode are avalanche and zener. The avalanche break down
occurs in both rectifier and zener diodes at a sufficiently high reverse voltage. Zener
breakdown occurs in a zener diode at low reverse voltages.

A zener diode is heavily doped to reduced the breakdown voltage.

This causes a very thin depletion region.
The zener diodes breakdown characteristics are determined by the
doping process
Zeners are commercially available with voltage breakdowns of 1.8 V
to 200 V.

WORKING OF ZENER
A zener diode is much like a normal diode. The exception being is that it
is placed in the circuit in reverse bias and operates in reverse breakdown.
This typical characteristic curve illustrates the operating range for a zener.
Note that its forward characteristics are just like a normal diode.

BREAKDOWN CHARACTERISTICS
Figure shows the reverse portion of a zener diodes characteristic
curve. As the reverse voltage (VR) is increased, the reverse current (IR)
remains extremely small up to the knee of the curve. The reverse
current is also called the zener current, IZ. At this point, the breakdown
effect begins; the internal zener resistance, also called zener impedance
(ZZ), begins to decrease as reverse current increases rapidly.

ZENER BREAKDOWN
Zener and avalanche effects are responsible for such a
dramatic increase in the value of current at the
breakdown voltage.
If the impurity concentration is very high, then the width of
depletion region is very less. Less width of depletion
region will cause high intensity of electric field to
develop in the depletion region at low voltages.

AVALANCHE BREAKDOWN
Zener effect predominates on diodes whose
breakdown voltage is below 6 V. The
breakdown voltage can be obtained at a large
value by reducing the concentration of
impurity atom.
We know that very little amount of current
flows in the reverse biased diode. This current
is due to the flow of minority charge carriers
i.e., electrons in the p type semiconductor and
holes in the n type semiconductor.

The width of depletion region is large when the

impurity concentration is less.
When a reverse bias voltage is applied across
the terminals of the diode, the electrons from
the p type material and holes from the n-type
materials accelerates through the depletion
region.
This results in collision of intrinsic particles
(electrons and holes) with the bound electrons
in the depletion region. With the increase in
reverse bias voltage the acceleration of
electrons and holes also increases.
Now the intrinsic particles collides with bound
electrons with enough energy to break its
covalent bond and create an electron-hole pair.
This is shown in the figure.

AVALANCHE BREAKDOWN MECHANISM

 The collision of electrons with the atom

creates an electron-hole pair.
This newly created electron also gets
accelerated due to electric field and breaks
many more covalent bond to further create
more electron-hole pair.
This process keeps on repeating and it is
calledcarrier multiplication.
The newly created electrons and holes
contribute to the rise in reverse current.
The process of carrier multiplication occurs
very quickly and in very large numbers that
there is apparently an avalanche of
charge carriers. Thus the breakdown is
called avalanche breakdown.
.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ZENER

AND AVALANCHE BREAKDOWN
1. This occurs at junctions which
being
narrow
Z
E N heavily
E R B doped
R E A have
KDO
WN
depletion Layers
2. This breakdown voltage sets a
very strong electric field across
this narrow layer.
3. Here electric field is very strong
to rupture the covalent bonds
thereby generating electron-hole
pairs. So even a small increase in
reverse voltage is capable of
producing
Large
number
of
current carriers.
4. Zener diode exhibits negative
temp: coefficient. Ie. breakdown
voltage decreases as temperature
increases.

1.

AVA L A N C H E
ThisB
occurs
R E AatKjunctions
D O Wwhich
N

being lightly
doped have wide depletion layers.

2. Here electric field is not strong enough to

produce Zener breakdown.
3. Her minority carriers collide with semi conductor
atoms in the depletion region, which breaks the
covalent bonds and electron-hole pairs are
generated. Newly generated charge carriers are
accelerated by the electric field which results in
more collision and generates avalanche of charge
carriers. This results in avalanche breakdown.
4. Avalanche diodes exhibits positive temp:
coefficient. i.e breakdown voltage increases with
increase in temperature.

ZENER DIODE APPLICATIONS

ZENER REGULATION WITH A VARYING INPUT
VOLTAGE

ZENER LIMITING
Zener diodes can used in ac applications to limit voltage swings to
desired levels.

VZ: zener voltage

Vd: Diode voltage
Vd = 0.7

THANK YOU