Can you put diodes in series?
Can you put diodes in series?
By adding more diodes in series a greater voltage reduction will occur. Also series connected diodes can be placed in parallel with the load resistor to act as a voltage regulating circuit. Here the voltage applied to the load resistor will be 3*0.7v = 2.1V.
When would you use a germanium diode?
Germanium diodes are made from germanium. They used to be used a lot in early electronics, such as radios, but they have largely been replaced by silicon diodes….Germanium Diode Circuit.
| Voltage Drops Across Diode at Various Supplied Voltages | ||
|---|---|---|
| Voltage Drop Across Diode | ||
| Voltage Supplied | Germanium Diode | Silicon Diode |
| 1V | 0.19V | 0.54V |
| 2V | 0.22V | 0.59V |
Can you put diodes in parallel?
It is not recommended to connect two diodes in parallel. Every diode has a slightly different forward voltage; even diodes with the same part number are not perfectly matched. If two diodes are connected in parallel, the one with the lower voltage drop will conduct most of the current.
What happens when diodes are in series?
Diodes in series with the same polarity each behave no differently than a single diode. The voltage drop and current capabilities of each diode remains the same. The overall voltage drop of the series combination of the diodes will be equal to the total of all of the diode voltage drops.
Why two diodes Cannot be connected back to back?
No, two diodes connected back to back cannot be used as a transistor. A PN diode will have equal doping on both sides, but for a transistor, the base must have the least doping level and the emitter must be highly doped. Joining two diodes will make the base size larger than the emitter and the collector.
Are germanium diodes directional?
Germanium diodes are part of an electrical circuit and conduct electrical signal through the diode traveling in one direction only.
Are germanium diodes still made?
Germanium diodes are still available. You can use 1N34 and 1N270 for instance. I have a drawer full of them and use them to replace burned out diodes in power meters, probes, etc.
Why is Si preferred over Ge?
Why is Silicon preferred over Germanium for semiconductor? The reason is, Silicon can be worked at a higher temperature as compared to germanium. The structure of Germanium crystals will be destroyed at higher temperature. Also, Silicon has much smaller leakage current than that of germanium.
What happens if a germanium diode is forward biased?
When the diode is forward biased it is equivalent to a closed switch in series with a small equivalent voltage source equal to the barrier potential (0.6 V for Silicon, 0.2 for germanium) with the positive side towards the anode.
What happens when you parallel diodes?
If the load current is greater than the current rating of a single diode, then two or more diodes can be connected in parallel (see Figure 1) to achieve a higher forward current rating. Diodes connection in parallel do not share the current equally due to different forward bias characteristics.
Can I use Zener diodes in series?
Zener diodes can be placed in series or parallel with other circuit elements, which includes other Zener diodes. When using Zener diodes in series, the current and voltage distribution will follow Kirchoff’s laws, and you can derive a specific relationship for the voltage and current distribution in your diodes.
