Report in EEQUIP

Semiconductors

Diodes

Diodes
Diodes block current flow in one direction and pass current in the opposite direction. This is accomplished b !oinin" a la er of P t pe material and a la er of # t pe material durin" manufacturin". $here the meet is called the P# !unction.

Diodes
%t the P# !unction& some of the electrons of the #'t pe material mo(e into some of the holes in the P't pe material and create a neutral area at the !unction. %nother wa of thinkin" of this is that the positi(e holes attract the ne"ati(e electrons lea(in" no free electrons& so current is unable to flow past that point. This neutral area acts as a barrier& which is called

Diodes
The depletion re"ion is (er thin and responds rapidl to (olta"e chan"es. It is here that current is either allowed to pass or is blocked.

Diodes
$hen the diode is connected in a circuit where the #'t pe material is connected to the ne"ati(e terminal of the batter and the P't pe material is connected to the positi(e terminal& the e)cess electrons in the #'t pe material are repelled b the ne"ati(e potential of the batter . %t the same time& the positi(el char"ed holes in the P't pe material are

Diodes
$hen (olta"e applied to the diode is "reat enou"h *.+ to . , (olts- electrons in the # t pe material will mo(e across the depletion re"ion at the !unction& fillin" holes in the P't pe material and lea(in" holes in the #'t pe material. Electrons mo(e throu"h the diode to the positi(e terminal of the batter and holes mo(e throu"h the diode to the

Diodes
If the connection of the diode in the circuit is re(ersed& with the #'t pe material connected to the positi(e terminal of the batter and the P't pe material connected to the ne"ati(e terminal& the diode is re(erse biased.

Diodes
In this case& the electrons in the #'t pe material are attracted to the positi(e terminal of the batter and the holes in the P't pe material are attracted to the ne"ati(e terminal of the batter . This results in an increase in the depletion re"ion or neutral .one so no current can flow throu"h the diode. $hether the diode conducts or blocks current

Diodes
If the re(erse bias (olta"e applied to a diode is "reat enou"h& the (olta"e can o(ercome the depletion re"ion at the !unction and the diode will conduct for a short period before burnin" open. $hen this happens the diode is destro ed.

Diodes
The three main uses for diodes in the automobile are rectification& de'spikin"& and isolation.

Rectification

Rectification
Since a diode will allow current to flow in one direction and not the other& it can be used to turn alternatin" current into direct current. This is called rectification. Diodes can pro(ide either full'wa(e or half'wa(e rectification& dependin" on the number of diodes and how the are connected.

Rectification
% half'wa(e rectifier consistin" of one diode will ha(e an output (olta"e that is appro)imatel one half of the %/ source. Since the output from an %/ power source continuall chan"es or alternates from positi(e to ne"ati(e& the diode is forward biased for part of the output and re(erse biased for the other. The

Rectification
The result is that onl half of the wa(e is output while the other half is blocked b the diode. This t pe of rectifier is not commonl found in an automoti(e application since it is not an efficient wa to rectif %/ to D/ to char"e a batter .

Rectification
% full'wa(e rectifier uses a four'diode network to rectif both hal(es of an %/ output. In such a s stem& current flows from the first half of the phase of the %/ power source throu"h the first diode in forward bias& throu"h the e)ternal circuit& throu"h the second diode& then completes the circuit. 0n the second half of the phase& the current flows

Rectification
1 usin" four diodes in the full'wa(e rectifier& all of the current flows to the D/ part of the circuit and the current in the D/ part alwa s flows the same direction e(en thou"h the current flow in the %/ power source chan"es directions.

Rectification
The full'wa(e& three'phase rectifier found in an automoti(e alternator "oes a step further. 1ecause the alternator uses three coils that produce three o(erlappin" %/ sine wa(es sta""ered at 234 de"ree inter(als& si) diodes are re5uired to achie(e full'wa(e rectification. Each coil uses four of the diodes to rectif the output& achie(in" full'

Rectification
1ecause the coils and diodes are interconnected& the same diodes are used b different coils at different times. Due to the o(erlap of the wa(es& output from each coil in this t pe of alternator produces a smooth output to the D/ s stem.

Zener Diodes

6ener Diodes
% .ener diode acts like an ordinar silicon diode when in the forward bias direction& but it has been speciall doped to act (er differentl in re(erse bias. % .ener diode allows current to flow in re(erse bias at a specific (olta"e without dama"e o(er and o(er a"ain.

6ener Diodes
The re(erse bias (olta"e at which the .ener will conduct& sometimes called the .ener point& differs from one .ener to another as each .ener diode is doped to ha(e a .ener point at a specific (olta"e.

6ener Diodes
% .ener diode can be used to suppress spikes b connectin" it between the circuit and "round with the diode re(erse biased. $hen a (olta"e spike e)ceeds the .ener point of the diode& it completes the circuit to "round and pre(ents the spike from dama"in" an thin".

6ener Diodes
% more common use of a .ener diode in an automobile is to sense the char"in" s stem (olta"e. 1 connectin" the .ener between the base of a transistor and the positi(e side of the char"in" s stem& the .ener can allow current to flow to the base of the transistor when it7s .ener point is reached. If the .ener point is 28.+ (olts and the transistor to which the .ener is connected turns off alternator field current when the transistor is turned on& a constant char"in" s stem (olta"e can be maintained. %s soon as the s stem (olta"e drops below the .ener point& the diode stops conductin" and the transistor turns off& allowin" the field current to flow.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs)

9i"ht emittin" diodes

%n 9ED is a diode that is speciall desi"ned to produce li"ht. 9EDs are made with a transparent epo) case so the can emit the li"ht the produce when forward biased. The color of the li"ht "i(en off b an 9ED can be red& "reen or infrared& dependin" on how the material is doped

9i"ht emittin" diodes

%n 9ED& like a standard silicon diode& will conduct current in onl one direction. The forward bias (olta"e drop of an 9ED *2.+ to 3 (olts- is much hi"her than a silicon diode. The forward bias current throu"h an 9ED must be controlled& as with an other semiconductor: or dama"e will result.

9i"ht emittin" diodes

9EDs ha(e ad(anta"es o(er ordinar bulbs& such as lon"er life& cooler operation& lower (olta"e re5uirements and the abilit to produce the same amount of li"ht as an incandescent bulb while consumin" less power.

9i"ht emittin" diodes

In (ehicles& 9EDs are used in a (ariet of wa s& includin" displa s and indicators. 9EDs are also used in con!unction with phototransistors& which con(ert li"ht to electrical current.

9i"ht emittin" diodes

% (ehicle speed sensor& known as a photo'coupler or li"ht'acti(ated switch& is a "ood e)ample. In a speed sensor& the speedometer cable is connected to a slotted wheel which separates the 9ED from the phototransistor.

9i"ht emittin" diodes

%s the wheel turns& it constantl breaks the beam of li"ht emitted from the 9ED to the phototransistor& thereb turnin" the phototransistor on and off. The pulsed si"nal "oes to the computer and is used to determine (ehicle speed.

Photodiodes

Photodiodes
% silicon photodiode is a solid'state de(ice which con(erts incident li"ht into an electric current.

Photodiodes
% silicon photodiode can be operated in either the photovoltaic or photoconductive mode. In the photo(oltaic mode& the photodiode is unbiased; while for the photoconducti(e mode& an e)ternal re(erse bias is applied.

Photodiodes
$hen used in .ero bias or photovoltaic mode& the flow of photocurrent out of the de(ice is restricted and a (olta"e builds up. This mode e)ploits the photo(oltaic effect& which is the basis for solar cells < a traditional solar cell is !ust a lar"e area photodiode.

Photodiodes
$hen in photoconducti(e mode& the diode is often re(erse biased *with the cathode dri(en positi(e with respect to the anode-. This reduces the response time because the additional re(erse bias increases the width of the depletion la er& which decreases the !unction:s capacitance. The re(erse bias also increases the Dark current *ph sics- without much chan"e in the photocurrent. The photocurrent is linearl proportional to the illuminance *and to the irradiance-.

Photodiodes
Photodiodes are used in man different t pes of circuits and applications. E)amples are= /ameras*9i"ht >eters& %utomatic Shutter /ontrol& %uto'focus-& Safet E5uipment* Smoke Detectors& ?lame >onitors-& and Industr *1ar /ode Scanners& Position Sensors& Sur(e in" Instruments-

Diodes
$hen inducti(e loads are switched on and off& lar"e (olta"e spikes will be "enerated. @olta"e spikes can be tempered b addin" a Afl ' backA diode across the motor leads.

Diodes
?l back diodes are also known as freewheelin" diodes& suppressor diodes& suppression diodes& clamp diodes or catch diodes.

Rectification
% half-wave rectifier can be made out of !ust a sin"le diode. If an %/ si"nal& like a sine wa(e for e)ample& is sent throu"h a diode an ne"ati(e component to the si"nal is clipped out.

Rectification
% full-wave bridge rectifier uses four diodes to con(ert those ne"ati(e humps in the %/ si"nal into positi(e humps.

Rectification
These circuits are a critical component in %/'to'D/ power supplies& which turn the wall outlet7s 234B384@%/ si"nal into C.C@& +@& 23@& etc.

6ener Diodes
6ener diodes can be used to build a (olta"e re"ulator as shown=

6ener Diodes
6ener diodes can be used to build a (olta"e re"ulator as shown=

6ener Diodes
@ out is the reverse breakdown voltage or zener voltage. In the circuit& V is "reater than VZ. This (olta"e re"ulator can onl step down the (olta"e& not up. E(en if the current throu"h the diode fluctuates& the (olta"e remains fairl stable. R must be lar"e enou"h such that the power specs of

6ener Diodes
@olta"e re"ulators helps keep current consumption low& protect a"ainst 0(er (olta"eB Short'circuit& re(erse polarit & and o(er temperature.

9i"ht'emittin" diodes and Photodiodes

9i"ht'emittin" diodes and Photodiodes ma be used to"ether as a pro)imit sensor. This is useful for applications of motors that needs to be started once certain conditions re"ardin" position is met.