What is a diode and how does it work?
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Have you ever played Minecraft? Are you familiar with the redstone repeater? Because that’s essentially the function of a diode. It doesn’t increase signal strength the way a redstone repeater does, but it does significantly limit the current attempting to flow in the opposite direction.
The way they function allows the to do several things, such as convert AC current to DC, and be used in temperature sensors, are necessary components to tune a radio, and can even be used to produce light (which you would know as a light emitting diode, or LED).
A diode is an electrical component that allows current to flow in one direction, but not the other. It’s like a one-way flow valve in fluid mechanics. It works by placing two types of semiconductors next to each other. This is easily googleable.
It’s a one-way valve for electricity.
It operates as a semi-conductor, but aligned so that one direction is easier for electricity to traverse (conduct) than the other.
Imagine a “slope” or a large stair, it’s easier to run downhill or jump down than it is to run uphill or jump back up. A diode is a “step” for electrons… they can flow one way really easily, but because of the materials used they can’t flow the other way without a lot of opposition (though, technically, enough power would make them go the wrong way, and diodes can breakdown in that same manner if over-volted).
Because it’s a semiconductor that can be formed by the same doping process as transistors and other semiconductor products, it can be made by the same methods, and used on the same tiny circuits as other semiconductors, has no moving parts, and usually they last pretty much forever.
Here is a very informative video that will answer both of of your questions. I’ve learned a lot from this channel.
As others have said, a diode allows electrical current to flow in one direction but not the other. How?
Electrical current flow only happens when there are charged particles (“charge carriers”) that can move about. That’s literally what electrical current flow is…the motion of many charge carriers.
In a semiconductor diode, two different types of semiconductor are put in contact. One has an excess of negative charge carriers, the other has an excess of positive charge carriers.
If you hook the diode up one way, the charge carriers are moved away from each other and the semiconductor junction is depleted of mobile charge carriers. No mobile charges, no current. It’s like making a little open circuit.
Hook it up the other way and current can flow.
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