Continue to Site

Welcome to EDAboard.com

Welcome to our site! EDAboard.com is an international Electronics Discussion Forum focused on EDA software, circuits, schematics, books, theory, papers, asic, pld, 8051, DSP, Network, RF, Analog Design, PCB, Service Manuals... and a whole lot more! To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

Which one is true about diodes

Status
Not open for further replies.

vjee

Newbie level 2
Newbie level 2
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
2
Helped
0
Reputation
0
Reaction score
0
Trophy points
1,281
Activity points
1,310
I'm not sure which one makes more sense to me,
1.Current flows from p to n when the diode is forward biased
2.Electrons flow from n to p when the diode is reversed biased
Help Please...:?:
 

KerimF

Advanced Member level 5
Advanced Member level 5
Joined
May 17, 2011
Messages
1,555
Helped
376
Reputation
760
Reaction score
378
Trophy points
1,373
Location
Aleppo city - Syria
Activity points
13,079
1.Current flows from p to n when the diode is forward biased
2.Electrons flow from n to p when the diode is forward biased

Edited:
Because the direction of electrons is opposite of the positive current direction.

In other words, when the electrons (having a negative charge) move in one direction, holes (hole = absence of electron, hence having a positive charge) move in the opposite one.

So when we talk about the direction of a current, we mean it for the holes.
 
Last edited:

thannara123

Advanced Member level 4
Advanced Member level 4
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
1,488
Helped
121
Reputation
242
Reaction score
111
Trophy points
1,353
Location
God's Own country India, Kerala
Activity points
9,682
In practically current made whenever the positive and negative leads connected directly or any device so that the positive (holes) and negative (electrons) combined
In forward bias the recombination take place at the depletion region .
 

Kral

Advanced Member level 4
Advanced Member level 4
Joined
Mar 28, 2005
Messages
1,319
Helped
280
Reputation
558
Reaction score
84
Trophy points
1,328
Location
USA
Activity points
13,401
Current flow, or "conventional current flow" going from positive to negative is the unfortunate result of Benjamin Franklin assuming that this was the direction. Of course, at the time of Benjamin Franklin's experiments with electricity, nobody knew anything about holes. In circuit analysis, you can assume either direction and come up with the correct answer, as long as you keep track of signs.
 

Miguel Gaspar

Advanced Member level 1
Advanced Member level 1
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Messages
477
Helped
70
Reputation
140
Reaction score
34
Trophy points
1,308
Location
Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Activity points
4,971
1.Current flows from p to n when the diode is forward biased

In forward biased the conduction has two currents: The mayority carriers that are positive, and the minority carriers that are negative, both in oposite direction.

In reverse biased only minority carriers flows but in so many quatity that practically is cero current.
 

Syncopator

Full Member level 6
Full Member level 6
Joined
Dec 15, 2010
Messages
367
Helped
70
Reputation
140
Reaction score
66
Trophy points
1,308
Location
N.E. Lincolnshire U.K.
Activity points
3,395
I'm not sure which one makes more sense to me,
1.Current flows from p to n when the diode is forward biased
2.Electrons flow from n to p when the diode is reversed biased
Help Please...:?:
Put as simply as possible. the current flows in the direction of the arrow.
 

andre_luis

Super Moderator
Staff member
Advanced Member level 7
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
9,523
Helped
1,187
Reputation
2,393
Reaction score
1,190
Trophy points
1,403
Location
Brazil
Activity points
55,233
...is the unfortunate result of Benjamin Franklin assuming that this was the direction. Of course, at the time of Benjamin Franklin's experiments with electricity, nobody knew anything about holes...

That´s an intersting historic case in wich science explanation became later than technology modeling.
There are other examples in physics and chemistry.

+++
 

jaksongats

Member level 2
Member level 2
Joined
Sep 7, 2010
Messages
44
Helped
0
Reputation
0
Reaction score
0
Trophy points
1,286
Activity points
1,526
1.Current flows from p to n when the diode is forward biased
 

LvW

Advanced Member level 6
Advanced Member level 6
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
5,869
Helped
1,750
Reputation
3,506
Reaction score
1,354
Trophy points
1,393
Location
Germany
Activity points
39,945
Put as simply as possible. the current flows in the direction of the arrow.

May I try to give an interpretation to Syncopator's (somewhat provocative) formulation?
I think, his statement is true because it's simply a matter of definition. Our rules and formulas do not and cannot reflect the physical reality of the phenomenon we call "current".
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Top