Coulombs law: Application in Diodes

Regidor L. Petiluna
Electrical Engineering Department
Cebu Institute of Technology University
gbostolits@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
The discovery of single electron charging effect has
provided the possibility of current regulation across
a diode. It has been pointed out recently that the
similar effect, namely the macroscopic coulomb
blockade due to the collective charging energy of
many
electrons
across
junction
depletion
capacitance, could be the underlying mechanism for
pump noise suppression in semiconductor lasers and
light emitting diodes. It will be focused on how
coulomb affects the depletion region of a diode.

1.INTRODUCTION
Diodes are two terminal materials. It allows current
to run through only one way, also diodes have biases.
An example of a diode is the LED. It is a special type
of diode, which is a very simple semi conductor
device and as expected about diode, it is two terminal
electronic devices that enables electric current to pass
primarily in one direction, with current dependent on
the voltage between the leads.
There are two main types of semiconductor materials:
intrinsic and extrinsic. In intrinsic, semi conductor
properties occur naturally. On the other hand, in
extrinsic semiconductor materials, semiconductor
properties are the result of external processes. And
today, almost all semiconductors are extrinsic,
because it allows the properties of the material to be
explicitly defined. To make it happen, the material is
doped (adding impurity) by adding Foreign atoms.

2.ATOMS AND ITS CONCEPT

As we all know and as discussed by our teachers in

courses that have studies about atoms, the core of an
atom is its nucleus. The nucleus contains one or more
protons and also it may contain one or more neutrons.
Protons are positively charged, where as neutrons
have no charge. One or more electrons orbit around
the atom, they are relatively small than protons and
neutrons, however, they are negative in charge.

3.Electrical Charge
An atom with an unaltered state has the same no. of
electrons as it has protons. At this point the total
electric charge of the atom is said to be balance. If an
atom loses an electron, it will have more protons and
its total charge will become positive in charge. And if
an atom gains an extra electron it will have more
electron than protons and its total charge will become
negative in charge. Positively charge atom is also
called positive ions and tends to attract an electron
whereas negatively charge atom is called negative
ions which will attempt to lose electrons

4. Band theory and energy bands

Electrons orbit around the nucleus in energy level. As
the no. of electrons increases, they fill the bands in a
predefined order. That is, the innermost band is filled
first and can hold two electrons, whereas band two
can hold eight and the lastly it holds electrons in an
atom is referred to as valence band. The unfilled level
about the valence band is referred to as the conductor
band. The farther band out from the nucleus, the
higher increase in energy level.

The illustration bellow emphasizes the energy bands

in the p-type and n-type silicon at equilibrium. The
open circles in p-type silicon on the left side of the
junction shown represent holes or deficiency of
electrons in the semiconductor material, which can
act as positive charge carriers. In comparison, n-type
material contains free electrons, A p-n type junction
is created when you bring p-type and n-type materials
together to make one piece of semiconductor.

move in the opposite direction. This action is

accomplished by connecting the n-type side of the
diode to the negative voltage of a circuit and the ptype side to the positive voltage of a circuit and the ptype side to the positive voltage. This results in the
free electrons in the n-type material being repelled by
the negative charge and drawn toward the positive
electrode, whereas the holes in the p-type material
move in the opposite direction. When the voltage
difference between the positive and negative
electrodes becomes sufficiently high the electrons in
the depletion zone will be boosted out of their holes
and they start moving. Then, the depletion zone will
disappear and a current will flow the p-n junction.

5.Depletion Region operation

During the formation of a p-n junction, a portion of
the free electrons in the n-region will diffuse across
the junction. As they do so, they will combine with
holes to form negative ions (atoms with negative
charges), leaving positive ions (atoms with positive
charges) at the donor of impurity sites. The figure
below illustrates the formation of negative and
positive ions in the depletion region. Note that in the
formation of negative ions whereas in the n-type
region, positive ions result from the removal of
electrons.
As indicated, filling a hole results in the creation of a
negative ion, leaving behind a positive ion on the nside of the p-n junction. This action results in the
buildup of a space charge that creates the depletion
region. This region inhibits any additional electron
transfer unless a forward bias is placed on the p-n
junction.
To remove the depletion zone, electrons need to
move from the n-type are, whereas holes need to

6.APPLICATION OF COULOMBS LAW

The Coulomb force from ions will prevent further
migration of electrons across the p-n junction.
Coulombs law states that the electrostatic force
between two charged bodies is proportional to the
amount of charge on the bodies divided by the square
of the distance between them. This means that if the
bodies are opposite in charge, then they will be
attracted toward one another. And if the two bodies
are similarly charged then the force between them
becomes repulsive. Its important to note that
coulombs law is applicable when the charge bodies
are much smaller than the distance separating the
bodies. When this situation occurs, the bodies can be
treated as point charges.

Coulombs law and the unit of electrical charge,

coulomb, were named in honor of C.A de coulomb he
deducted experimental measurements of the forces
between charged bodies which resulted in the
definition of the coulomb as the amt of electrical
charge transported by a current (A) in a second (s).
1 C = (1 A)(1 s)
At the equilibrium state, the migration of electrons
across the p-n junction is prevented, owing to
repulsion by the negative ions in the p-region and
attraction by the positive ions in the n-region.
In the reverse bias, electrons are driven away from
the p-n junction because electrons from n- region
must move to the junction and combine with holes
from the p-region to conduct electricity, a reverse
bias prevents conduction, also makes depletion
region bigger and make it impossible for electron to
pass to the diode to the p-junction.

this results in electrons flowing with minimal

resistance
in
the
forward
direction.

7. CONCLUSION
The depletion region increases in its approximate
when it is in reverse bias and shortens when in
forward bias. The voltage acts as an aid to the
electrons in passing or overcoming the coulomb
barrier of the space charge in the depletion region.
The current need sufficient voltage so that it can pass
from junction to junction.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I thank myself and my friends in giving me guides in
making this research. Thank you very much for the
help.
REFERENCES

In forward bias situation, governs the bias effect on

electrons in the depletion region is the application of
a voltage in the forward direction, referred to as a
forward bias. The forward voltage enhances the
ability of electrons to overcome the Coulomb barrier
of the space charge in the depletion region. In effect,

LED and Application

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