Diode
semi-conductor device that allows current to flow in only one direction.
Semi-conductor
a material with electrical characteristics of both a conductor and an insulator
Doping
process of adding impurities to semi-conductor material to allow for electron flow
N-type material
semi-conductor material created with an excess of electrons
P-type material
semi-conductor material created with a deficiency of electrons
Depletion Region
thin neutral area formed at the junction of P & N-type materials
Forward bias
voltage applied with polarity that allows a diode to act as a conductor
Characteristic curve
curve on a graph that shows the relationship between voltage, current and polarity for an electrical device
Reverse bias
voltage applied with opposite polarity that allows a diode to act as an insulator
Forward break-over voltage
amount of forward bias voltage needed for a diode to act as a conductor
Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV)
amount of reverse bias voltage a diode can withstand before breaking down
Forward operating current
current range in which a diode can safely operate
Avalanche current
free flow of electrons through a diode once it breaks down
DC power supply
a device that converts AC to regulated DC for use in electrical circuits.
Rectifier
part of a DC power supply that converts AC into DC
Voltage limiter
An electronic circuit that consists of diodes used to control voltage where large changes are expected.
Pulsating DC
electricity that varies in amplitude but does not change polarity
Filter
part of a DC power supply that smooths the pulsating DC output
Ripple voltage
amount of varying voltage present in a DC power supply.
Voltage regulator
electronic circuit that maintains a relatively constant value of output voltage over a wide range of operating situations
Voltage divider
circuit that provides several different voltages for different loads.
Voltage multiplier
electronic circuit designed to supply higher voltages than the AC source without using a transformer.
