NicheCalcs

What this calculator is doing

This calculator applies the Shockley diode equation, which describes the current-voltage (I-V) relationship of an ideal diode: \[ I = I_S \times \left( e^{\frac{V_D}{n V_T}} - 1 \right) \] Where: - \( I \) = Diode current (A) - \( I_S \) = Saturation current (A), a very small constant for the diode - \( V_D \) = Applied voltage across the diode (V) - \( V_T \) = Thermal voltage (V), approximately 25.85 mV at 25°C - \( n \) = Ideality factor (typically between 1 and 2 for real diodes) The thermal voltage is calculated as: \[ V_T = \frac{k T}{q} \] where: - \( k \) = Boltzmann's constant = 1.380649 x 10⁻²³ J/K - \( q \) = Charge of an electron = 1.602176634 x 10⁻¹⁹ C - \( T \) = Temperature in Kelvin (K) This equation is fundamental in modeling diodes in electronics design and simulation.