Diode diodes 0.25 to 0.3 V, and red or blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can have values of 1.4 V and 4.0 V respectively. At higher currents the forward voltage drop of the diode increases. A drop of 1 V to 1.5 V is typical at full rated current for power diodes. The "Shockley ideal diode equation" or the "diode law" (named after the bipolar junction transistor co-inventor William Bradford Shockley) gives the I–V characteristic of an ideal diode in either forward or reverse bias (or no bias). The following equation is called the "Shockley ideal diode equation" when "n", the ideality
P–n diode P–n diode This article provides a more detailed explanation of p–n diode behavior than that found in the articles p–n junction or diode. A p–n diode is a type of semiconductor diode based upon the p–n junction. The diode conducts current in only one direction, and it is made by joining a "p"-type semiconducting layer to an "n"-type semiconducting layer. Semiconductor diodes have multiple uses including rectification of alternating current to direct current, detection of radio signals, emitting light and detecting light. The figure shows two of the many possible structures used for "p–n" semiconductor diodes, both adapted to increase