Reverse Bias by Dr. Arroj Ahmad Khan

Reverse Bias
By
Dr. Arroj Ahmad Khan
1
Reverse Bias
Connecting the p type region to

the negative terminal of the
battery and the n type region
to the positive terminal
corresponds to reverse bias.
The depletion region is much wider than the forward bias as well as
equilibrium (zero bias).
2
Working
 When a diode is reverse biased, the positive side of the bias voltage
pulls the free electrons, which are the majority carriers in the n
region, away from the pn junction.
3
 Additional +ve ions are created as the electrons flow towards the
positive side of the voltage source.
 In the p region, is connected to the –ve terminal of the voltage

source, the electrons enter as a valence electrons and move towards
the pn junction from hole to hole. These electrons produces further
negative ions.
 This further increase in –ve and +ve ions on both sides of the
depletion region widens the depletion region.
 This process ends up within no time.
 The availability of the majority carriers decreases.

4
 The electric field between the positive and negative ions increases
in strength until the potential across the depletion region equals the
bias voltage.
 Finally current ceases except for a very small reverse current that
can usually be neglected.
Reverse Current
 The current (micro amp) caused due to the minority carriers is called
reverse current. *
 There are minority carriers exist in both regions, (holes in n region &
electrons in p region) that are produced by thermally generated
electron-hole pairs. 5
 Because the –ve terminal of the battery is connected to the p region
(with electrons, minority carriers) there would be a repulsion of like
charges, so the electrons move through the depletion region.
 These electrons combine with the holes in the valence band of n

region and flow towards the +ve terminal of the battery, creates the
small hole current
6
 In energy band diagram we know that the conduction band of p
region is at a higher level than the conduction band in n region, so
the minority electrons from the p region can easily pass through the
depletion region and requires no additional energy.
Reverse breakdown
 In ordinary situation, even if we increase the voltage the current
remains constant and there is no valuable changes in current. *
 If the reverse bias voltage applied to the diode is increased to a

sufficient high enough value called the breakdown voltage, the
reverse current will drastically increase.
7
 The breakdown voltage of a pn junction diode depends on the width
of depletion region. The pn junction diodes with wide depletion
region have high breakdown voltage whereas the pn junction diodes
with narrow depletion region have low breakdown voltage.
 The depletion region breakdown or junction breakdown occurs in

two different methods.
1. Avalanche breakdown
2. Zener breakdown
8
Avalanche breakdown
 The avalanche breakdown occurs in lightly doped pn junction diode.
 Lightly doped pn junction diodes have the wide depletion region.
 External voltage or external electric field can't destroy the depletion

region directly but can destroy the depletion region or immobile
charge carriers region with the help of minority carriers.
 The generation of minority carriers in the reverse biased pn junction

does not depend on the reverse voltage but only on the temperature.
 Applied reverse voltage supplies energy to the minority carriers (free

electrons at p type and holes at n type semiconductor) 9
 What happens, actually after gaining the energy (minority electrons)
from the reverse biased voltage into the p region, the electrons speed
up and collide with the atoms, ions, or valence electrons in the p
region.
 These electrons transfer their
kinetic energy to the valence
electrons.
 The valence electrons, which gain

enough energy from the high-
speed free electrons will break the
bonding with the parent atom and
becomes a free electron. 10
 Thus a free electron at the conduction band and a hole created at the
valence band is generated.
 The newly created conduction electrons are also gain high energy
from the external source, travel at the high speed and repeat the
process.
 If one electron knocks only two others out of their valence orbit
during its travel through the p region, the numbers quickly multiply.
 Large numbers of minority carriers are created. The process is called

carrier multiplication.
11
 These high energy electrons go through the depletion region, they
have enough energy to go through the n region as conduction
electrons, rather than combining with holes.
 This large number of minority carriers causes sudden increase in

reverse current, which leads to junction breakdown.
 Sudden rise in reverse current destroys the motionless carriers region

or depletion region.
 The high speed minority carriers which causes the depletion break
down or junction breakdown is called avalanche breakdown.
12

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Reverse Bias

Connecting the p type region to

 In the p region, is connected to the –ve terminal of the voltage

 This process ends up within no time.

 The availability of the majority carriers decreases.

 These electrons combine with the holes in the valence band of n

 If the reverse bias voltage applied to the diode is increased to a

 The depletion region breakdown or junction breakdown occurs in

 The avalanche breakdown occurs in lightly doped pn junction diode.

 Lightly doped pn junction diodes have the wide depletion region.

 External voltage or external electric field can't destroy the depletion

 The generation of minority carriers in the reverse biased pn junction

 Applied reverse voltage supplies energy to the minority carriers (free

 The valence electrons, which gain

 Large numbers of minority carriers are created. The process is called

 This large number of minority carriers causes sudden increase in

 Sudden rise in reverse current destroys the motionless carriers region

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