Rectifier diode - description, parameters and characteristics

A rectifier diode is an electronic device designed to convert a current into a constant current. It is such a two-electrode device, which has only one-sided (unipolar) electrical conductivity. A rectifier diode made of semiconductor materials and so-called diode bridges (when four diode connected diagonally in pairs in one housing) replaced the ignitron and the electrovacuum diode.

The effect of rectifying an alternating current and converting it to a constant current occurs at the semiconductor-metal, metal-semiconductor, or in the so-called electron-hole transition in some crystals (for example, silicon, germanium, selenium, copper oxide). Such crystals often serve as the basis of the device.

A semiconductor rectifier diode is used in radio engineering, in electronic and electrical devices. In fact, rectification is the transformation of the current of an alternating (voltage) into a current of one polarity (pulsing constant). This type of rectification in engineering is necessary for opening and closing electrical circuits, switching and detecting electrical signals and pulses, and for many other similar transformations. Such characteristics of the diode as speed, stability of parameters, capacitance of pn junctions do not oblige to impose any special requirements.

Such a device has certain electrical parameters and characteristics of diodes:

- direct voltage at the specified current value (the average value is taken ) ;

- reverse current for a given value of reverse voltage and temperature (average value) ;

- amplitude allowable values for the maximum reverse voltage;

Averaged forward current;

- the value of the frequency value without decreasing the mode;

- resistance.

The rectifier diode is often abbreviated as simply a rectifier. As a component of an electrical circuit, it exerts a high resistance to a current that flows in one direction, and a low one that flows in the opposite direction. This causes the rectification of the current.

A device such as a diode rectifier has a rather small frequency range. The operating frequency for industrial use of such a device when converting AC to DC is 50 Hz. The limiting frequency is considered to be no more than 20 kHz.

The rectifier diode as an electronic device can be divided into several groups by the value of the maximum mean forward current. This is a diode of low power (up to 0.3 amperes), medium power (from 0.3 A to 10 A), and super-power (power) rectifier diodes (more than ten amperes).

The main parameters of an electronic device, such as a rectifier diode, include the operating range for the ambient temperature (usually it varies from -50 to +130 degrees Celsius for the most common type of diode - silicon) and the maximum case temperature (the most diverse parameters, in Depending on capacity, purpose and manufacturer).