LED

Description
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a two-lead semiconductor light source. It resembles a basic pn-
junction diode, which emits light when activated. When a fitting voltage is applied to the
leads, electrons are able to recombine with electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the
form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence, and the color of the light (corresponding to
the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy band gap of the semiconductor.
Function
Light Emitting Diode function by passing an electrical current over a semiconductor chip. The
chip has two sides namely P type which is the positive side and N type which is negative side. P
type and N type is what creates light, causing the chip to emit a beam of light or photon.
Applications
Light-emitting diodes are now used in applications as diverse as aviation lighting, automotive
headlamps, advertising, general lighting, traffic signals, and camera flashes. However, LEDs
powerful enough for room lighting are still relatively expensive, and require more precise current
and heat management than compact fluorescent lamp sources of comparable output.
Tunnel Diode
Description
A tunnel diode or Esaki diode is a type of semiconductor that is capable of very fast operation,
well into the microwave frequency region, made possible by the use of the quantum
mechanical effect called tunneling.
Function
A tunnel diode, also called an Esaki diode, is a specialty diode that functions by means of a
strange effect of quantum mechanics, called "tunneling." This effect gives them an ability to
conduct electricity that varies with the voltage applied to them.
Applications
Tunnel diodes may be used to amplify, switch, or generate oscillations and can be
combined with transistors to take advantage of favorable features of both devices. The
tunnel diodes' basic circuit simplicity, high-speed operation, and various methods of
combining them with transistors are illustrated and described.
varactor diode
-A specialized diode that changes its level of capacitance depending on the level of
reverse bias applied to the diode. Also known as a varicap diode.
Varactor diode applications
Varactor diodes are widely used within the RF design arena. They provide a method of
varying he capacitance within a circuit by the application of a control voltage. This gives
them an almost unique capability and as a result varactor diodes are widely used within the
RF industry.
Application
how a varactor or varicap diode works is to look at what a capacitor is and what can
change the capacitance.The capacitance of the capacitor is dependent upon the area of the
plates - the larger the area the greater the capacitance, and also the distance between them -
the greater the distance the smaller the level of capacitance.
PHOTODIODE
is a semiconductor device that converts light into current. The current is generated
when photons are absorbed in the photodiode. A small amount of current is also produced when
no light is present. Photodiodes may contain optical filters, built-in lenses, and may have large
or small surface areas. Photodiodes usually have a slower response time as its surface area
increases. The common, traditional solar cell used to generate electric solar power is a large
area photodiode.
FUNCTION



APPLICATION
Photodiodes are used in consumer electronics devices such as compact disc players,
smoke detectors, and the receivers for infrared remote control devices used to control
equipment from televisions to air conditioners. For many applications either photodiodes or
photoconductors may be used. Either type of photosensor may be used for light measurement,
as in camera light meters, or to respond to light levels, as in switching on street lighting after
dark.

GUNN DIODE
also known as a transferred electron device (TED), is a form of diode, a semiconductor
electronic component, used in high-frequency electronics. Its largest use is in electronic
oscillators to generate microwaves, in applications such as radar speed guns and microwave
relay transmitters.
FUNCTION
APPLICATION
Gunn diodes are mainly used at microwave frequencies and above. They can produce
some of the highest output power of any semiconductor devices at these frequencies. Their
most common use is in oscillators, but they are also used in microwave amplifiers to amplify
signals. Because the diode is a one-port (two terminal) device, an amplifier circuit must separate
the outgoing amplified signal from the incoming input signal to prevent coupling. One common
circuit is a reflection amplifier which uses a circulator to separate the signals. A bias tee is
needed to isolate the bias current from the high frequency oscillations.
SCHOTTKY DIODE
A Schottky diode, also known as a hot carrier diode, is a semiconductor diode which has
a low forward voltage drop and a very fast switching action.In a Schottky diode, a
semiconductormetal junction is formed between a semiconductor and a metal, thus creating a
Schottky barrier. The N-type semiconductor acts as the cathode and the metal side acts as the
anode of the diode. This Schottky barrier results in both a low forward voltage drop and very fast
switching
FUNCTION

Applications
Schottky diodes are useful in voltage clamping applications and prevention of transistor
saturation due to the higher current density in the Schottky diode. Also, because of the low
forward voltage drop in a Schottky diode, less energy is wasted as heat, therefore making them
an efficient choice for applications that are sensitive to efficiency. Because of this, they are used
in stand-alone photovoltaic systems in order to prevent batteries from discharging through the
solar panels at night as well as in grid-connected systems containing multiple strings connected
in parallel. Schottky diodes are also used as rectifiers in switched-mode power supplies.

SHOCKLEY DIODE
The Shockley diode (named after physicist William Shockley) is a four layer
semiconductor diode which was one of the first semiconductor devices invented. It was a "pnpn"
diode. It is equivalent to a thyristor with a disconnected gate.
FUNCTION
The shockley diode is used primarily for switching applications. It features switching properties similar to
those of a lamp.

APPLICATION

PIN DIODES
PIN diode is a diode with a wide, lightly doped 'near' intrinsic semiconductor region between a
p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor region. The p-type and n-type regions are
typically heavily doped because they are used for ohmic contacts.
The wide intrinsic region is in contrast to an ordinary PN diode. The wide intrinsic region makes
the PIN diode an inferior rectifier (the normal function of a diode), but it makes the PIN diode
suitable for attenuators, fast switches, photodetectors, and high voltage power electronics
applications.
FUNCTION


Applications
PIN diodes are useful as RF switches, attenuators, photodetectors, and phase shifters.

LASER DIODE
A laser diode, or LD, is an electrically pumped semiconductor laser in which the active
medium is formed by a p-n junction of a semiconductor diode similar to that found in a light-
emitting diode.
The laser diode is the most common type of laser produced. Laser diodes have a very wide
range of uses that include, but are not limited to, fiber optic communications, barcode readers,
laser pointers, CD/DVD/Blu-ray reading and recording, laser printing, scanning and increasingly
directional lighting sources.
FUNCTION

APPLICATION