Under normal operation of a diode, an applied reverse bias (voltage) will result in a small current flow through the device. However, at a particular high voltage, which is called breakdown voltage VBD, large currents start to flow. If there is no current limiting resistor, which is connected in series to the diode, the diode will be destroyed. There are two physical effects which cause this breakdown. In this chapter, you will learn about: in the bulk of the diode outside the depletion region, the semiconductor is neutral. |
