Physics > Semi-conductor Devices and Electronics > 6.0 Breakdown voltage
Semi-conductor Devices and Electronics
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Classification of solids on the basis of their conductivity
1.2 Band theory of solids
1.3 Classification of solids on the basis of band theory
2.0 Types of semiconductor
3.0 Mass action law
4.0 Electrical conductivity in semiconductor
5.0 $p-n$ junction
5.1 Depletion region
5.2 Forward biasing of a $p-n$ junction
5.3 Reverse biasing of a $p-n$ junction
6.0 Breakdown voltage
7.0 $I-V$ characteristics of a $p-n$ junction
8.0 Rectifier
8.1 Half wave rectifier
8.2 Full wave rectifier
8.3 Ripple frequency
8.4 Ripple factor
8.5 Ripple efficiency $\left( \eta \right)$
8.6 Form factor
9.0 Light emitting diode (LED)
10.0 Zener diode
11.0 Transistor
12.0 Boolean identities
13.0 Logic gates
14.0 De Morgan's theorem
6.2 Avalanche breakdown
1.2 Band theory of solids
1.3 Classification of solids on the basis of band theory
5.2 Forward biasing of a $p-n$ junction
5.3 Reverse biasing of a $p-n$ junction
8.2 Full wave rectifier
8.3 Ripple frequency
8.4 Ripple factor
8.5 Ripple efficiency $\left( \eta \right)$
8.6 Form factor
Avalanche breakdown is a type of electrical breakdown in a reverse biased $p-n$ junction, when the minority carrier electrons in the transition region is being accelerated by the electric field with sufficient energy for freeing electron-hole pairs via collisions with bound electrons.
In general, breakdown occurring above 5 $V$ are caused by Avalanche effect.
Breakdown occurring at voltages close to 5 $V$ are usually caused by the combination of both Zener and Avalanche effect.
