Reverse-biased

Reverse-biased

Reverse-biased usually refers to how a diode is used in a circuit. If a diode is reverse biased, the voltage at the cathode is higher than that at the anode. Therefore, no current will flow until the diode breaks down.

This effect is used to one's advantage in zener diode regulator circuits. Zener diodes have a certain - low - breakdown voltage. A standard value for breakdown voltage is for instance 5.6V. This means that the voltage at the cathode can never be more than 5.6V higher than the voltage at the anode, because the diode will break down - and therefore conduct - if the voltage gets any higher. This effectively regulates the voltage over the diode. Here is how a simple zener regulation circuit would look:

For more information, refer to Zener diode.

Another application where reverse biased diodes are used is in Varicap diodes. The width of the depletion zone of any diode changes with voltage applied. This varies the capacitance of the diode. For more information, refer to the Varicap article.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • reverse-biased diode — užvertasis diodas statusas T sritis radioelektronika atitikmenys: angl. back biased diode; reverse biased diode vok. sperrichtungsvorgespannte Diode, f rus. обратносмещённый диод, m pranc. diode polarisée en inverse, f …   Radioelektronikos terminų žodynas

  • reverse-biased junction — užvertoji sandūra statusas T sritis automatika atitikmenys: angl. reverse biased junction vok. in Sperrichtung vorgespannter Übergang, m rus. обратносмещённый переход, m pranc. jonction polarisée en inverse, f …   Automatikos terminų žodynas

  • reverse-biased p-n junction isolation — izoliavimas užvertomis pn sandūromis statusas T sritis radioelektronika atitikmenys: angl. reverse biased p n junction isolation vok. Isolation durch in Sperrichtung vorgespannte p n Übergänge, f rus. изоляция обратносмещёнными p n переходами, f… …   Radioelektronikos terminų žodynas

  • reverse-biased current — užvertojo įtaiso srovė statusas T sritis radioelektronika atitikmenys: angl. reverse biased current vok. Sperrstrom, m rus. ток при обратном смещении, m pranc. courant de polarisation inverse, m …   Radioelektronikos terminų žodynas

  • reverse-biased heterojunction — užvertoji įvairialytė sandūra statusas T sritis radioelektronika atitikmenys: angl. reverse biased heterojunction vok. in Sperrichtung vorgespannter Heteroübergang, m rus. обратносмещённый гетеропереход, m pranc. hétérojonction polarisée en… …   Radioelektronikos terminų žodynas

  • Reverse leakage current — in a semiconductor device is the current flowing from that semiconductor device when the device is reverse biased.The term is particularly applicable to a diode …   Wikipedia

  • back-biased diode — užvertasis diodas statusas T sritis radioelektronika atitikmenys: angl. back biased diode; reverse biased diode vok. sperrichtungsvorgespannte Diode, f rus. обратносмещённый диод, m pranc. diode polarisée en inverse, f …   Radioelektronikos terminų žodynas

  • Bipolar junction transistor — BJT redirects here. For the Japanese language proficiency test, see Business Japanese Proficiency Test. PNP …   Wikipedia

  • semiconductor device — ▪ electronics Introduction       electronic circuit component made from a material that is neither a good conductor nor a good insulator (hence semiconductor). Such devices have found wide applications because of their compactness, reliability,… …   Universalium

  • p-n junction — A silicon p–n junction with no applied voltage. A p–n junction is formed at the boundary between a P type and N type semiconductor created in a single crystal of semiconductor by doping, for example by ion implantation, diffusion of dopants, or… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”