Week 4 Flashcards
Define diode
A two-terminal circuit component with a highly non-linear relationship between the applied voltage and the device current
True or False: Diodes have polarity
True, one side of the diode is defined as the anode, and the other as the cathode, regardless of the direction of applied voltage
In an ideal diode, current flowing from anode to cathode has _____ resistance, while current flowing from cathode to anode has _____ resistance
Zero, infinite
True or False: A real diode is a good approximation of an ideal diode
True
A practical model for diodes is the ____________________
Constant voltage drop model (see lecture for math demo)
Define doping
Deliberately adding impurity atoms to semiconductors in order to change their electrical properties
The most common semiconductor diode is a _____ junction
pn
A diode suffers _________________ if a sufficiently high negative voltage is applied
Reverse breakdown
A diode that is designed to have a safe and reversible reverse breakdown at moderate voltages is known as a _______________
Zener diode
True or False: The non-linearity of diodes make them difficult to use in applications like regulators or amplifiers
False, they are great for these applications
Zener diodes are good voltage regulators when operated in the ____________ region
Reverse breakdown
True or False: A Zener diode acts like a resistor under small changes in voltage while in reverse breakdown
True
