Question

If you measure the voltage across a diode and it measures 0.3 V, the diode is probably made of __________ and is __________ biased.

Answer 1

Answer:

• germanium
• forward

Explanation:

The forward-biased voltage drop of a semiconductor diode depends on the material it is made of and the method of fabricating the junction.

Voltage drops

A silicon diode will have a voltage drop that can be estimated as 0.7 V. The actual value will depend on current and temperature.

A germanium diode will have a voltage drop closer to 0.3 V, again depending on current and temperature.

A Schottky diode may have a voltage drop between 0.2 and 0.3 V, so may be difficult to distinguish from a germanium diode.

If it measures 0.3 V, the diode is probably made of germanium, and is forward biased.

__

The reverse-biased voltage reading will generally match the open-circuit voltage of the testing device.