Explain the term "avalanche breakdown" in Diodes

 

When it comes to understanding the behavior of diodes, one important concept to grasp is "avalanche breakdown." This phenomenon plays a crucial role in the functionality of certain types of semiconductor devices, particularly in applications where they are exposed to high voltages. Let's get to know how it affects diode operation.

 

What is Avalanche Breakdown?

It is a process that occurs in a reverse-biased diode when the electric field across the diode becomes strong enough to cause a significant increase in the carrier charge carriers (electrons and holes) within the depletion region. This increase in carriers leads to a rapid multiplication of charge carriers through collisions with the crystal lattice, creating an "avalanche" effect.

 

How Does this Breakdown Happen?

In a semiconductor device, the depletion region is an area near the junction that has been depleted of free charge carriers. When a diode is reverse-biased, meaning the voltage across the device is in the opposite direction of the diode's normal forward conduction direction, a small current called reverse leakage current flows due to minority carriers (electrons in the p-type material and holes in the n-type material) crossing the junction.

The electric field across the depletion region intensifies alongside the increase in reverse bias current. At a certain critical power, known as the breakdown voltage (V_BR), the electric field is strong enough to cause impact ionization. Impact ionization occurs when a high-energy carrier collides with the crystal lattice, creating an electron-hole pair. These newly created carriers are accelerated by the electronic arena, leading to further collisions and the rapid multiplication of carriers, creating the avalanche effect.

 

Why It is Important?

It is a critical phenomenon in certain types of diodes, such as Zener and diodes, where it is deliberately exploited to achieve specific electrical characteristics. Zener devices, for example, are designed to operate in the breakdown region and are used in voltage regulation circuits.

In conclusion, it is a phenomenon that occurs in reverse-biased diodes when the electric field across the depletion region is strong enough to cause a rapid multiplication of charge carriers. Understanding it is crucial for designing and using diodes in various electronic circuits.

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