Continuation….

Special Types
of Diodes

By: Carmille Angeli C. Calo

 LED
Light-Emitting Diode

CALO, C.
 Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
-LED emits photons as visible light,
the amount of energy each electron
releases as it drops into a nearby
hole corresponds to the energy of a
photon of some particular color

This process of giving off light by

applying an electrical source is
called electroluminescence
A strong +bias encourages
conduction-band electrons in the
N-material to leap the junction
and recombine with available
holes releasing light and heat.
CALO, C.
 Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
-operates in the forward bias position
-as forward current increases, the amount of emitted
light increases

CALO, C.
- Its purpose is for
indication and other
intelligible displays.
-comes in variety of
colors such as red,
green, yellow
-displays that use
LED, are often called
seven-segment
displays (digital
clock)
CALO, C.
Photodiodes

CALO, C.
 photodiodes
-Unlike LED’s, photodiodes receive light rather than produce light
-It varies it’s current in response to the amount of light that strikes it
-It is placed in the circuit in reverse bias

CALO, C.
 photodiodes
-The application of light to the junction will result in a transfer of
energy from the incident traveling light waves (in the form of
photons) to the atomic structure, resulting in an increased
number of minority carriers and an increased level of reverse
current.

-an increase in light intensity will

result in a similar increase in
reverse current.

CALO, C.
 photodiodes
-the photodiode is employed in an alarm system. The reverse current I
will continue to flow as long as the light beam is not broken. If
interrupted, I drops to the dark current level and sounds the alarm.
-a photodiode is used to count items on a conveyor belt. As each item
passes the light beam is broken, I drops to the dark current level and the
counter is increased by one.

CALO, C.
Tunnel Diode

CALO, C.
 Tunnel diodec
The tunnel diode exhibits negative resistance. It will
actually conduct well with low forward bias. With
further increases in bias it reaches the negative
resistance range where current will actually go down.
This is achieved by
heavily-doped p and n
materials that create a
very thin depletion
region which permits
electrons to “tunnel”
thru the barrier region.

CALO, C.
 Tunnel diode

- This diode opposes Ohm's Law during a part of

its response curve. That is, as the forward
voltage increases, the current decreases

CALO, C.
Laser Diode

CALO, C.
 Laser diode
-laser diode is a further development upon the regular
light-emitting diode, or LED
- The laser diode normally emits coherent light. An LED
emits incoherent light. -“Laser” stands
for Light Amplification
by Stimulated Emission
of Radiation
- Laser diodes in
conjunction with
photodiodes are used to
retrieve data from
compact discs.
CALO, C.
 Laser diode

Forward bias the diode and electrons move thru the

junction, recombination occurs (as ordinary).
Recombinations result in photon release, causing a chain
reaction of releases and avalanching photons which form
an intense laser beam.
CALO, C.
PIN Diode

CALO, C.
 PIN diode

-The p-i-n diode is a photodiode with an intrinsic

layer between the P and N-regions
-The p-i-n diode is highly useful as a switch for very
high frequencies. They are commonly used as
microwave switches and limiters.
- A PIN diode acts in the reverse-bias position as a
constant capacitance, and in the forward position, it
acts as a variable resistance
CALO, C.
 PIN diode
- Because this device has an intrinsic middle section, it has a wide
forbidden zone when unbiased. However, when a forward bias is
applied, current carriers from the p- and n-type ends become
available and conduct current even through the intrisic center
region. The end regions are heavily doped to provide more current
carriers.

CALO, C.