Tutorials

This use of bypass diodes allows a series (called a string) of connected cells or panels to continue supplying power at a reduced voltage rather than no power at all. Bypass diodes are connected in reverse bias between a solar cells (or panel) positive and negative output terminals and has…

This clipping of the input signal produces an output waveform that resembles a flattened version of the input. For example, the half-wave rectifier is a clipper circuit, since all voltages below zero are eliminated. But Diode Clipping Circuits can be used a variety of applications to modify an input waveform using signal…

They are the most visible type of diode, that emit a fairly narrow bandwidth of either visible light at different coloured wavelengths, invisible infra-red light for remote controls or laser type light when a forward current is passed through them. The “Light Emitting Diode” or LED as it is more…

While this method may be suitable for low power applications it is unsuitable to applications which need a “steady and smooth” DC supply voltage. One method to improve on this is to use every half-cycle of the input voltage instead of every other half-cycle. The circuit which allows us to…

However, the Zener Diode or “Breakdown Diode”, as they are sometimes referred too, are basically the same as the standard PN junction diode but they are specially designed to have a low and specified Reverse Breakdown Voltage which takes advantage of any reverse voltage applied to it. The Zener diode behaves just like a normal general-purpose…

The semiconductor Signal Diode is a small non-linear semiconductor devices generally used in electronic circuits, where small currents or high frequencies are involved such as in radio, television and digital logic circuits. Signal diodes in the form of the Point Contact Diode or the Glass Passivated Diode, are physically very small in size compared to…

In the previous tutorials we saw that a semiconductor signal diode will only conduct current in one direction from its anode to its cathode (forward direction), but not in the reverse direction acting a bit like an electrical one way valve. A widely used application of this feature and diodes…

However, unlike a resistor, a diode does not behave linearly with respect to the applied voltage as it has an exponential I-V relationship and therefore can not be described simply by using Ohm’s law as we do for resistors. Diodes are basic unidirectional semiconductor devices that will only allow current…

In the previous tutorial we saw how to make an N-type semiconductor material by doping a silicon atom with small amounts of Antimony and also how to make a P-type semiconductor material by doping another silicon atom with Boron. This is all well and good, but these newly doped N-type…

The effect described in the previous tutorial is achieved without any external voltage being applied to the actual PN junction resulting in the junction being in a state of equilibrium. However, if we were to make electrical connections at the ends of both the N-type and the P-type materials and…