Rubion, Melody D.
March 13, 2024
BSME II-GN Engr. Maria Nieves Elarco
ECE00- Lecture
Assignment #2
I. Give the different types of special purpose diodes and state their functions and applications.
Types of Special Purpose Diodes Function/s Application/s
1. Avalanche Diodes - These are special PN - The Avalanche diode is
junction diodes that are used for the protection of
designed to operate in the the circuit. When reverse
avalanche breakdown region bias voltage increases then
which is a phenomenon that up to certain limit diode
can occur in both insulating starts an avalanche effect
and semiconducting materials.
at a particular voltage and
- This type of diode has a
wide junction due to the lower diode breakdown due to
doping concentration, thus avalanche effect.
requires a higher voltage for - It is used to protect the
its breakdown. The wide circuit against unwanted
junction makes it a better voltages, and in surge
surge protector than a Zener protectors to protect the
diode. circuit from surge voltage.
2. Diac - It is a type of diode that - The main application of a
conducts electrical current only DIAC is its use in a TRIAC
after its breakover voltage has triggering circuit, in a series
been reached. combination of triggering.
- DIAC stands for “Diode for - It can be used in the
Alternating Current” which has lamp dimmer circuit, in heat
two electrodes, used in the control circuit, and in the
triggering of thyristors. speed control of a universal
- DIAC is a specially motor.
constructed diode, which allows
current to pass in both
directions when certain
conditions are met.
3. Junction Diodes -It is one of the most common - Junction or the PN-junction
applications of the diode which diodes are applied to
can be used to operate and Rectifiers Voltage amplifiers
implement the functions of a Clipper and clamper circuits,
diode because it can conduct and Integrator or
considerable current in the differentiator circuits used
forward direction and roughly with Operational Amplifier
no current in the reverse (OP-AMP) Voltage regulators
direction. Light-emitting Diode (LED)
4. Laser Diodes - A type of diode that is a - Laser diodes are widely
further development upon the used in telecommunication as
regular light-emitting diode, or easily modulated and easily
LED. coupled light sources
- Laser stands for Light for fiber-optic communication.
Amplification by Stimulated - They are used in various
Emission of Radiation measuring instruments, such
- Unlike an ordinary diode, the as rangefinders, barcode
goal for a laser diode is to readers, laser pointers,
recombine all carriers in the I image scanning, illuminators,
region and produce light. optical data reading, and
many more that are already
well-established while others
are emerging.
5. Light-emitting Diodes - They are used as indicator - LEDs are used to make
devices as well as for various electrical and
decorative purposes. LEDs electronic projects, applied in
emits light when electric electronic signs, clock displays,
current is passed through it. and flashlights.
- Other LEDs are capable of - These are used as a bulb
procuring different light in the homes and industries,
spectrums in mobile phones to display the
from infrared to ultraviolet and messages, and at the traffic
visible spectrum colors. light signals.
6. Photodiodes - These are a PN junction - They are used in many
diode that will produce electric applications such as
current when exposed to light optocouplers, smoke
and convert light energy into detectors, solar panels,
electrical energy. ambient light detectors
- They are also called a - Photodiodes can also be
photodetector, a light detector, used in detecting the
and a photo-sensor. brightness of the light.
7. PIN Diodes - The PIN diodes are a three- - PIN diodes are commonly
layer diode, which consists of used in high voltage
three layers of P type, rectification, in RF application
Intrinsic and N- as attenuator & switching
type semiconductor materials. element.
The intrinsic layer is placed in - These diodes are used in
between heavily doped P and the RF and also for
N type materials. microwave switches since
The electron and holes from N they are said to have low
and P-type region respectively capacitance.
8. Schottky Diodes - This is a type of diodes that - Schottky diodes are used in
has comparatively lower power supplies, voltage
forward voltage and higher regulators, and RF detectors.
switching speed than a normal - They are used for voltage
diode. clamping applications, to
- Schottky diodes consists of prevent transistor saturation.
an N-type material and a metal Schottky diode is an important
with a small junction in component for digital
between them. computers.
9. Shockley Diodes - the Shockley diode has more - Device with unique
than one PN junction. The switching properties, used in
construction includes four voltage regulation and
sections of semiconductors protection applications.
placed alternately between the - For voltage regulation,
anode and cathode in the overvoltage protection, and
pattern of PNPN. Though it has switching tasks.
multiple junctions, it is termed
a diode for being a two-
terminal device.
- A four-layer semiconductor
device with alternating P-type
and N-type materials, often
referred to as P-N-P-N diode
or thyristor.
10. Silicon controlled rectifier - SCR is a three-terminal - SCRs are mainly used in
device: anode, cathode, and devices where the control of
gate. It has a built-in feature high power, possibly coupled
to turn ON or OFF and its with high voltage, is demanded.
switching is controlled by - Suitable for use in medium-
biasing conditions and gate to-high voltage AC power
input terminal. control applications, such as
- It can handle several lamp dimming, power
thousands of voltages and regulators, and motor control.
currents. - They are also used in the
control of welding machines,
mainly the gas tungsten arc
welding.
11. Solar Cells - It is a photodiode optimized - Solar cells are the main
for efficiently delivering power source for operating devices
to a load which operates in like solar cookers, water
photovoltaic mode because it is heaters, solar lamps and
forward biased by the voltage many more devices. – In
developed across the voltage order to know the working of
resistance. the key element, the special
- A solar cell is an electrical purpose diode to consider is
device that converts optical the solar cell.
radiation into electricity by the
photovoltaic effect.
12. TRIAC - TRIACs are a subset of - This is a three terminal,
thyristors that is a three- four-layer, bi-directional
terminal electronic component semiconductor device that
that conducts current in either controls AC power.
direction when triggered. - This type of diode can be
used for AC systems as a
switch.
13. Tunnel Diodes - The tunnel diode is a heavily - Tunnel diode is a fast-
dopped heavily conductive PN- switching device therefore, it
junction diode in which the is used in high frequency
current is induced because oscillators, computers, and
amplifiers
of tunnelling. - It is also used as a logic
- Tunnel diodes can switch on memory storage device and
and off very rapidly due to works as a storage device to
their unique tunneling store logic memory.
mechanism.
14. Varactor Diodes - They are also known as the - These diodes are used in
vericap diodes or tunning various applications such as
diodes that are designed to voltage-controlled oscillators,
function as voltage-controlled frequency multipliers,
capacitor. frequency modulators and
- The function of this diode is many other RF related
to store charges, so it is circuits.
always operated in reverse
bias conditions.
15. Zener Diodes - Zener diodes are type of - Zener diode will start to
diode that generally used in conduct at a certain set
reverse bias. voltage in reverse bias, which
- The Zener diodes has is much lower than a normal
heavier doping concentration diode.
than a normal P-N Junction - They are generally used as
diode and has much thinner voltage regulators, protecting
depletion region. sensitive components from
- It is one of the most widely voltage surges and
used semiconductor diodes fluctuations.
which designed to reliably allow - They are also surge
current to flow “backwards”. protectors, voltage limiters and
voltage clamping circuits.