Tag: Diodes
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Protecting Electronics from Voltage Spikes and Surges
What Is a Clamping Diode? Clamping diodes are essential electronic components found in a wide array of modern circuitry. These specialized semiconductor devices serve a critical role in limiting and regulating voltage levels within electronic systems, shielding sensitive components from … Read more
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Gunn Diode – Features, Operation & Applications
Features of a Gunn Diode A gunn diode is made up of only N-type semiconductor which is typically sandwiched between two metal conductors. The central section is usually lightly doped N– surrounded by heavily doped N+ layers. The … Read more
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PIN Diode – Features & Applications
PIN diode is characterized by fast low capacitance switching. A PIN diode is fabricated in a similar fashion to a silicon switching diode with an intrinsic region added between the PN junction layers. This generates a thicker depletion region, the … Read more
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Diode & Filter Applications in Amplitude Modulation (AM) Detection Circuits
The operation of a typical AM audio frequency signal is illustrated in the Figure 1.0 where vin is the modulated signal that is shown Figure 1.1. Figure 1.0 AM detector circuit A typical amplitude modulated signal that is fed … Read more
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Schottky Diode – Features & Applications
Schottky diode is fabricated as a metal-to-N junction rather than a P-N semiconductor junction. Also referred to as hot-carrier diodes, Schottky diodes are characterized by fast switching times (low reverse-recovery time), low forward voltage drop (normally 0.25 to 0.4 … Read more
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Principle of Operation and Applications of a Laser Diode
Laser diodes are PN junction devices under a forward bias. LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser Diode Structure The laser diode structure can be divided into two categories:… Read more
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The Principle and Application of IMPATT Diode
The Impact Avalanche Transit Time (IMPATT) diode is a high power radio frequency (RF) generator that operates from 3 to 100 GHz. IMPATT diodes are manufactured from silicon, gallium arsenide or silicon carbide. An IMPATT diode is reverse biased above … Read more
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The Shockley Diode Features & Operation
The Shockey diode is a four layer sandwich of PNPN semiconductor material very similar to the SCR but without a gate as illustrated in the Figure 1.0 below: Figure 1.0 Shockley or 4-layer diode (PNPN diode) Figure 1.1 Transistor equivalent … Read more
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The Varactor Diode
The varactor also termed to as varicap, is a diode that behaves like a variable capacitor, with the PN junction working like the dielectric and plates of a common capacitor. Because of this, the symbol of the varactor is … Read more
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The Different Applications of Diodes
Diodes are used in many applications for example diodes are employed in reverse-polarity protection, used in voltage regulators, etc. We discuss these applications plus more in this article. Here are some of the different applications of diodes: Transient Suppression with … Read more