From the course: Electronics Foundations: Semiconductor Devices
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Diode characteristics
From the course: Electronics Foundations: Semiconductor Devices
Diode characteristics
- There are three primary characteristics that I consider when choosing which diode to use in my circuit. Forward voltage which is the voltage at which the diode turns on and allows forward current to flow through it. The breakdown voltage, which is the negative voltage at which the diode fails to stop current from flowing backwards through it. And the maximum forward current which is the amount of forward current, the diode can handle before it will overheat and burn up. To show you how to find and interpret these diode characteristics, I'll look at the data sheet for a common 1N4148 Small Signal Diode. The 1N4148 diode is designed for general purpose usage. It has a moderate forward voltage drop but it's not designed to handle much forward current. To find the data sheet for that diode, I'll go to my search engine and type in the part number, "1N4148" and the word "datasheet". I see that there are several data sheets…
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