How to Characterize a Diode

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Digital Multimeter
+ Digital Multimeter
Digital Multimeter
+ Digital Multimeter

Characterizing a diode with basic bench instruments and control software

Characterizing an active electronic component such as a diode requires the test engineer to perform an I-V curve measurement. Other than using an I-V curve tracer, test engineers can use common instruments such as a digital multimeter and a DC power supply. The setup is simple — engineers will need to create a circuit loop using a DC power supply, a resistor, and the diode in series. To characterize the diode, it is important to check the polarity of the diode and apply voltages across the circuit with clear intentions on whether to forward or reverse bias the diode.

Apply voltages in an incremental step from zero voltage and make voltage measurements across the resistor and the diode. Use Ohm’s law to calculate the current flow through the diode by dividing the voltage values across the resistor and the resistor value itself. Plot the diode’s I-V characteristic curve with the current and voltage values across the diode. Engineers can use software programming or readily available instrument control application software to automate testing and plotting of the diode’s I-V characteristic curve.

Basic benchtop diode characterization system

Basic benchtop diode characterization system

Performing a single quadrant I-V curve characterization on active electronic components such as a diode requires a basic bench DC power supply and a digital multimeter. The Keysight triple-output DC power supply and the Keysight digital multimeter are basic bench instruments that provide the resolution and accuracy to perform I-V measurements for active electronic components. The Keysight digital learning suite software provides test automation for making hundreds of discrete current sourcing and voltage measurements and generating the I-V plots for your characterization results without the hassle of programming.
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