Pin Diode Switching Characteristics

The diode obeys standard diode equation for all the low frequency signals.

Pin diode switching characteristics.

The intrinsic layer among the p n layers increases the space between them. Light striking the crystal lattice can release holes and electrons which are drawn away out of the depletion. Pin diode possesses very low reverse recovery time. This pin diode characteristic can have significant advantages in a number of rf applications for example when a pin diode is used as an rf switch.

The intrinsic region provides a greater separation between the pn and n regions allowing higher reverse voltages to be tolerated. A pin diode has two switching speeds from forward bias to reverse bias tfr and from reverse bias to forward bias trf. The sensitive area of a photodiode is the depletion region. The capacitance of pin diode is independent of bias level as the net charge is said to be very less in the intrinsic layer.

The intrinsic layer in the diode offers a partition between the both the layers permitting higher reverse voltages to be tolerated. The pin diode makes an ideal rf switch. Characteristics of pin diode low capacitance. As we already discussed that a pin diode offers a lower value of capacitance due to the larger distance between p and n region.

This is unlike a standard diode which has no intrinsic region. The p i n diode has a relatively large stored charge adrift in a thick intrinsic region. The pin diode obeys the standard diode equation for low frequency signals. The pin diode can be used as a high voltage rectifier.

The wide depletion layer provided by the intrinsic layer ensures that pin diodes have a high reverse breakdown characteristic. The pin diode is used as an ideal radio frequency switch. Varactors diodes are design with thin epitaxial i layers for a high q in the. It has a wide undoped intrinsic semiconductor region i sandwiched between a p type semiconductor p and an n type semiconductor region n hence the pin designation.

At a low enough frequency the stored charge can be fully swept and the diode turns off. Some of the pin diode characteristics are given in the points below. Characteristics of pin diode. The pin diode is used as a high voltage rectifier.

At higher frequencies the diode looks like an almost perfect very linear even for large signals resistor. When only a small reverse potential is applied the depletion region gets totally depleted. A microwave pin diode is a semiconductor device that operates as a variable resistor at rf and microwave frequencies. The diode characteristic that affects tfr is τ carrier lifetime.

The value of tfr may be computed from the forward current if and the initial reverse current ir as follows. The pin diode is a special diode which can be configured as an rf switch.