Litterature/guides on diodes? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: analogo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2017, 06:41:13 pm
content: Are there good comprehensive guides on diodes for advanced beginners? Books, application notes, field manuals, I'll take everythingI am reading The art of electronics, 3rd edition but it has a very superficial exposition of diodes. The internet is full of basic tutorials that will tell you that "diodes stop current against the arrow", but I have found nothing that discusses the many different diodes, their uses and their real-life limitations. Any hint?

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2017, 07:14:26 pm
content: I'd suggest pulling a bunch of dataheets off the web - you can't do better than the horse's mouth.Pick a bunch of parts like a silicon small signal (1N4148) a signal schottky like a 1N5711, a slow rectifier like a 1N4001, a fast recovery rectifier, a couple of high power / high speed rectifiers. The tables and graphs should give you a good feel for the real world characteristics.Look at things like average currents versus repetitive and non repetitive surge, noting test conditions, forward voltage versus current graphs (note typical versus spec limits). Junction capacitance versus reverse voltage, reverse recovery times etc.It will also give you good practice in understanding device datasheets in detail. It's easier to start with diodes before BJTs, FETs etc.Edit: fixed some wrong p/ns

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2017, 07:47:01 pm
content: Tons of stuff on diodes on Youtube, namely:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luO9p_f12FY

author: MagicSmoker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2017, 08:07:04 pm
content: Robert A. Pease wrote an article that was published in several books titled "Understanding Diodes and their Problems." Should be able to find it on google books or the like.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2017, 08:36:11 pm
content: The book "The Circuit Designer's Companion" by Tim Williams (Elsevier) is worth a look. It's only got about 10-20 pages on diodes but that 10-20 pages contains exactly the 'extras' you don't find in textbooks. Needless to say, as it's a whole book, that many other components and aspects of practical electronics get the same treatment.

author: MagicSmoker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2017, 08:38:23 pm
content: Quote from: Cerebus on June 13, 2017, 08:36:11 pmTotally forgot about this one but second the recommendation. That's one of the more worn-out books on my shelf.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 05:26:24 am
content: Quote from: MagicSmoker on June 13, 2017, 08:38:23 pmNo relation, by the way...Tim

author: analogo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 05:35:00 am
content: Quote from: MagicSmoker on June 13, 2017, 08:07:04 pmWow, I just read an excerpt from Google Books and... Bob Pease's writing style is incredibly clear and entertaining! Thank you for the recommendation.Quote from: Cerebus on June 13, 2017, 08:36:11 pmA book that starts with the chapter "Grounding". That is my kind of book. Ordered on the spot.I also found this interesting technical article from Fairchild:Understanding Diode Reverse Recovery and itsEffect on Switching Losses

author: TheUnnamedNewbie
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2017, 06:17:03 am
content: If you are trying to understand the phyics of it all, almost any book on semiconductor physiscs will start with a detailed coverage of the PN junction and how it all works together. It also gives you a good understanding of things like depletion region capacitance (which is a big deal in certain situations), why certain diodes behave a certain way, the physical origin of reverse recovery time, PIN Diodes, ....I myself started out with Sze's "Semiconductor Devices: Physics and Technology". It doesn't go into very deep details on some of the more practical sides of things I believe, but it's been a while since I truely paged through.

author: medical-nerd
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2017, 01:37:23 am
content: Thanks for the recommendation for The Circuit Designer's Companion, have now purchased a slightly 'foxed' one, looking forward to its arrival!!

author: w2aew
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2017, 02:55:30 am
content: Quote from: analogo on June 13, 2017, 06:41:13 pmI've made several videos on diodes - ranging from topics like using diodes as switches, to reverse recovery, to different diode types (PIN, Varactor, Tunnel, etc.)https://www.youtube.com/user/w2aew/search?query=diode