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Reverse Bias Characteristic of PIN Diode

This document describes an experiment to characterize the reverse bias properties of a PIN diode. The experiment involves measuring the reverse light current through a PIN photodiode as the forward current through an LED is increased in steps, while keeping the reverse voltage constant. A graph of LED current versus measured reverse current will be plotted to study the reverse bias characteristic of the PIN diode.

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sandeep bhukya
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136 views3 pages

Reverse Bias Characteristic of PIN Diode

This document describes an experiment to characterize the reverse bias properties of a PIN diode. The experiment involves measuring the reverse light current through a PIN photodiode as the forward current through an LED is increased in steps, while keeping the reverse voltage constant. A graph of LED current versus measured reverse current will be plotted to study the reverse bias characteristic of the PIN diode.

Uploaded by

sandeep bhukya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reverse Bias Characteristic of PIN Diode

Aim: To plot and study graphically the LED current vs reverse current of a PIN-diode for a
constant reverse voltage.

Apparatus:
PIN diode characteristics board consisting of:
1. PIN photodiode optically coupled with matching LED
2. 0-5V Variable Power supply to vary intensity of LED
3. 0-5 V Variable Power supply to vary Reverse voltage across PIN photodiode
4. 10 mA milli ammeter to measure LED current
5. 200 µA micro ammeter to measure PIN diode reverse light current
6. 5V Voltmeter to measure PIN diode reverse voltage

Theory: Photo-Diode: It is a silicon or germanium PN junction diode which is photo-sensitive


in reverse bias condition. i.e. the reverse current in a photodiode depends on the intensity of light
falling on it or exposure of light. The application of this diode is in its reverse biased condition.
A PiN diode is a diode with a wide, lightly doped 'near' intrinsic semiconductor region between a p-type
semiconductor and n-type semiconductor regions. 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.

A PiN diode operates under what is known as high-level injection. In other words, the intrinsic "i" region
is flooded with charge carriers from the "p" and "n" regions. Its function can be likened to filling up a
water bucket with a hole on the side. Once the water reaches the hole's level it will begin to pour out.
Similarly, the diode will conduct current once the flooded electrons and holes reach an equilibrium
point, where the number of electrons is equal to the number of holes in the intrinsic region. When the
diode is forward biased, the injected carrier concentration is typically several orders of magnitudes
higher than the intrinsic level carrier concentration.

A PIN diode obeys the standard diode equation for low frequency signals. At higher frequencies, the
diode looks like an almost perfect (very linear, even for large signals) resistor. There is a lot of stored
charge in the intrinsic region. At low frequencies, the charge can be removed and the diode turns off. At
higher frequencies, there is not enough time to remove the charge, so the diode never turns off. The PIN
diode has a poor reverse recovery time.

The high-frequency resistance is inversely proportional to the DC bias current through the diode. A PIN
diode, suitably biased, therefore acts as a variable resistor. This high- frequency resistance may vary
over a wide range (from 0.1 ohm to 10 kΩ in some case; the useful range is smaller, though).

The wide intrinsic region also means the diode will have a low capacitance when reverse biased.

In a PIN diode, the depletion region exists almost completely within the intrinsic region. This depletion
region is much larger than in a PN diode, and almost constant-size, independent of the reverse bias
applied to the diode. This increases the volume where electron-hole pairs can be generated by an
incident photon. Some photo detector devices, such as PIN photodiodes and phototransistors (in which
the base-collector junction is a PIN diode), use a PIN junction in their construction.

1
The diode design has some design tradeoffs. Increasing the dimensions of the intrinsic region (and its
stored charge) allows the diode to look like a resistor at lower frequencies.

It adversely affects the time needed to turn off the diode and its shunt capacitance. PIN diodes will be
tailored for a particular use.

Circuit Diagram:

Procedure:
1. Connect the circuit as shown above:
2. Set PIN diode Reverse Voltage (VR) constant at 4V using variable Power supply VPS1
3. Slowly increase LED current IL to 5mA by using variable Power supply VPS2
4. Measure and note down Reverse Light current (IR) at increasing values of IL 2.5mA,
5mA, 7.5mA,10mA,12. 5mA,15mA , 17.5mA, 20 mA,22.5mA, 25mA, 27.5mA and
30mA
5. Plot graphs of LED Current V/s Reverse current.

2
Observation:
LED current (IL) IR at VR = 4V

2.5mA
5 mA
7.5mA
10 mA
12.5 mA
15 mA
17.5 mA
20 mA
22.5mA
25mA
27.5mA
30mA

Result: The reverse bias characteristics of pin diode are studied.

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