Fig. 9.14 Current/voltage characteristics of a typical small-signal silicon junction
diode
voltages below about 0.6 V the response is very small, as they are
occupied mainly in dismantling the potential barrier at the junction.
Above that level of applied voltage the barrier is down and the
forward current increases steeply; soon it is limited chiefly by the
resistance of the semiconductor material and external circuit.
Compared with such a large impurity current the intrinsic current at
ordinary temperatures is small, so the effect of a moderat ...
Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month, and much more.