Lab Exercise No.

2
Diode Curves
Abstract— This laboratory activity examines the operation of II. PROCEDURE
the basic switching diode and determines the plot of its
characteristic curve, the forward bias curve and the reverse
bias curve. the magnitude of the voltage and current in
resistors and diode in the circuit are measured and being
observe and shows how the currents and voltages are
affected if the diode is in forward and reverse bias.
I. INTRODUCTION (HEADING 1)
A diode is a semiconductor device that essentially acts as a
one-way switch for current. It allows current to flow easily
in one direction, but severely restricts current from flowing
in the opposite direction. Diodes are also known
as rectifiers because they change alternating current (ac)
into pulsating direct current (dc). Diodes are rated according Forward Curve
to their type, voltage, and current capacity. Diodes have 1. Consider the circuit of Figure 1 using R = 1 kΩ.
polarity, determined by an anode (positive lead) For any positive value of E, the diode should be
and cathode (negative lead). Most diodes allow current to forward biased. Once E exceeds the knee voltage,
flow only when positive voltage is applied to the anode. all of E (minus approximately 0.7 volts) drops
When a diode allows current flow, it is forward-biased. across R. Thus, as E increases, so does the diode
When a diode is reverse-biased, it acts as an insulator and current.
does not permit current to flow.
2. Build the circuit of Figure 1 using R = 1 kΩ. Set E
The goal of simulating the different variations of to 0 volts and measure both the diode's voltage and
the diode is to determine how it affects the current and current and record the results in Table 1.
voltage in the circuit. Remember, voltage is measured across a device
(parallel) while current is measured through it
(series). Repeat this process for the remaining
source voltages listed.

3. From the data collected in Table 1, plot the current

versus voltage characteristic of the forward biased
diode. Make sure VD is the horizontal axis with ID
on the vertical.

Reverse Curve

4. Consider the circuit of Figure 2 using R = 1 kΩ.

For any positive value of E, the diode should be
reversed biased. In this case, the diode should
always behave like an open switch and thus no
current should flow. If no current flows, the
voltage across R should be zero, and thus the diode
voltage should be equal to the applied source
voltage. Note that the diode's voltage polarity is
negative with respect to that of Figure 1.

5. Build the circuit of Figure 2 using R = 1 kΩ. Set E

to 0 volts and measure both the diode's voltage and
current and record the results in Table 2. Repeat

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 this process for the remaining source voltages 8 586mV 7.41mA
listed.
10 592mV 9.41mA
6. From the data collected in Table 2, plot the current
versus voltage characteristic of the reverse biased
diode. Make sure VD is the horizontal axis with ID Plot:
on the vertical.

Practical Analysis
7. Consider the circuit of Figure 3 using E = 12 volts,
R1 = 10 kΩ and R2 = 4.7 kΩ. Analyze the circuit
using the ideal 0.7 volt forward drop
approximation and determine the voltages across
the two resistors. Record the results in the first two
columns of the first row (Variation 1) of Table 3.

8. Build the circuit of Figure 3 using E = 12 volts, R1

= 10 kΩ and R2 = 4.7 kΩ. Measure the voltages Sim:
across the two resistors. Record the results in
columns three and four of the first row (Variation
1) of Table 3. Also compute and record the percent
deviations in columns four and five.

9. Reverse the direction of D1 and repeat steps 7 and

8 as Variation 2 in Table 3.

10. Return D1 to the original orientation and reverse

the direction of D2. Repeat steps 7 and 8 as
Variation 3 in Table 3

11. Reverse the direction of both D1 and D2, and

repeat steps 7 and 8 as Variation 4 in Table 3.
Table 2. Reverse Biased
Computer Simulation:
E Vd Id
12. Repeat steps 7 through 11 using a simulator,
recording the results in Table 4. 0 0V 0mA
0.5 500mV 0mA

1 1V 0mA
III. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
Table 1. Forward bias 2 2V 0mA
E Vd Id 4 4V 0mA
0 0V 0Ma 6 6V 0mA
0.5 455mV 45.2uA 8 8V 0mA
1 516mV 484uA 10 10V 0mA

2 544mV 1.46mA
4 566mV 3.43mA

6 578mV 5.42mA
 Plot: Variation 2

Sim:
Variation 3

Table 3 Practical Analysis

Variation Vr1 Vr2 Vr1sim Vr2sim %dev %dev
Theory Theory Vr1 Vr2
1 10.6V 0.7V 10.9 534mV 2.75% 31.09%
2 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 7.69V 3.61V 7.8 3.67 1.41% 1.63%
4 0 0 0 0 0 0
Variation 4

Sim:
Variation 1
Computations: allows the current to flow easily while in the reverse biased
diode has no current to it thus making it an open circuit.

V. REFERENCE
Semiconductor Devices: Theory and Application
Laboratory Manual by James M. Fiore

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by Robert L.

Boylestad & Louise Nashelsky

Based on the results, we have observe that if the diode is in

forward biased there is a current flowing throughout the
circuit while if the diode is in reversed biased there is no
current flowing on the diode and the voltage of the diode is
equal to the voltage source. If the diode is connected with a
resistor in parallel and the diode is in reversed biased, the
current will not flow to the diode and it flows to the resistor
and if the diode is connected with a resistor in series, there is
no current flowing in the diode and resistor.

IV. CONCLUSION
In this experiment we have seen how diode affects the
current and the voltage. In conclusion, the forward bias diode