Backward diode
The backward diode ( backward diode ) is a special form of the tunnel diode . Despite the English vocabulary, the preferred international term is " back diode ".
Compared to the normal tunnel diode, the characteristic current hump has been almost completely suppressed. As a result of this property, the backward diode has an approx. 0.5 V wide range in the current-voltage characteristic curve , in which it has an almost constant current that can be interpreted as reverse current . It should be noted that the characteristic curve image is rotated by 180 ° compared to the usual representation for the tunnel diode .
The backward diode is operated in the opposite direction, hence its name. The almost flat range of the characteristic curve up to a voltage of about 0.5 V is used as the blocking range. The characteristic then changes back to the exponential curve of a normal diode . The backward diode has a low forward voltage (low internal resistance) and continues to have the high speed of the original tunnel diode.
Their area of application was primarily high frequency technology. It was used here as a rectifier , in mixer circuits or in envelope curve demodulators for low signal levels. With the development of alternative active semiconductor components in high-frequency technology , the importance of the backward diode has been almost completely lost and it is therefore difficult to obtain.
literature
- Wolfgang Bauer, Hans Herbert Wagener: Components and basic circuits of electronics. Volume 1: Components. 2nd edition, Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich / Vienna 1981, ISBN 3-446-13305-4 .
- Franz Moeller, Hans Fricke, Paul Vaske, Heinrich Frohne: Fundamentals of electrical engineering. 17th edition, Springer Fachmedien, Wiesbaden 1986, ISBN 978-3-519-36400-9 .
- Michael Reisch: Electronic components. Function - basic circuits - modeling with SPICE, Springer Verlag, Berlin / Heidelberg 1998, ISBN 978-3-662-06988-2 .
- Leonhard Stiny: Active electronic components . Design - structure - mode of operation - properties and practical use of discrete and integrated semiconductor components, Springer Fachmedien, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-09153-8 .
Web links
- INCREASED-FUNCTIONALITY VLSI-COMPATIBLE DEVICES BASED ON BACKWARD-DIODE (accessed October 13, 2017)
- Diodes (accessed October 13, 2017)