The I-V characteristics of a diode describe how the electric current flowing through the device responds to changes in the voltage applied across its terminals.

In forward bias, when the positive terminal of a voltage source is connected to the diode’s anode and the negative to its cathode, the diode initially resists current flow until the applied voltage exceeds a threshold known as the cut-in or knee voltage—typically around 0.7 volts for silicon diodes.

Beyond this point, the current increases rapidly and exponentially with voltage, allowing the diode to conduct efficiently. In reverse bias, the polarity is reversed, and the diode blocks current almost entirely, allowing only a tiny leakage current to flow.

However, if the reverse voltage exceeds a critical breakdown level, the diode may conduct heavily in reverse, a behavior exploited in Zener diodes for voltage regulation.

The resulting I-V curve is highly nonlinear, with a sharp rise in current in forward bias and a flat, near-zero current in reverse bias until breakdown occurs. This characteristic makes diodes essential for rectification, switching, and protection in electronic circuits.

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