Diodes

RS extensive diodes range spans thousands of components across several categories. Built to exacting specifications from trusted, leading manufacturers including NTE Electronics, ON Semiconductor, and Vishay, our electrical diodes can be relied upon to perform, whatever circuit they are integrated within.

Whether you are an industrial customer or electronics hobbyist, choose from our rectifier, Schottky, TVS, Zener, and PIN diodes, plus many more, using our search function to the left of the page. All diodes are competitively priced, available with a helpful range of delivery options, and are backed by our industry-leading approach to customer service.

For more information on diodes - what they are, their various types, and applications, scroll down to learn more or expert hub If you have any questions about our diode range or the RS order process, please get in touch.

What are diodes?

Diodes are electrical components that conduct electricity in a single direction. The resistance of a diode is high at one end (the anode) and low at the other (the cathode), which ensures that current will only easily flow to the cathode if the circuit has a positive charge. If the circuit has a negative charge, the current will not flow through the diode.

This effect occurs due to diodes being formed from semiconducting materials, typically silicon. Each side of the diode is designed impure (also known as doped) - the cathode with a P-type impurity that contains many vacant electron positions, and the anode with an N-type impurity, which supplies free electrons.

This creates an electric field between the positively charged and negatively charged junction between each side of the diode, also known as the P-N junction. This boundary widens under a negative or zero-voltage current (known as reverse biasing) to stop electron flow, or, under a positive current (forward bias), facilitates electron flow.

Diodes can also have zero bias. These are known as Schottky diodes and can 'listen' for frequencies without the need for a bias voltage.

What are the different types of diode?

Diodes are a ubiquitous component, partly because there are so many types to choose from, offering all manner of capabilities. These include:

• These allow currents to flow in reverse when a set voltage (the Zener voltage) is reached. This makes them effective at protecting from overvoltage and electrostatic discharge.
• These create a laser at the junction of the diode when a set amount of electrical energy flows through the component.
• Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) shine when exposed to a current.
• Also known as a barrier or hot-carrier diodes, Schottky diodes allow very high switching speeds with very low voltage drops when switches occur.
• These diodes rectify alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) through the use of a rectifier bridge.
• Transient-voltage-suppression (TVS) diodes (also known as thyrectors and transils) protect circuits from high voltage transients like surges and electrostatic discharges.
• Alternator diodes - Alternator diodes are regular diodes, used in automotive alternators.
• 12v diodes - These diodes are specifically used for circuits with 12 units of voltage potential.
• Diode bridges are arrangements of four or more diodes in a bridge circuit configuration. This allows each polarity of output to match the polarity of the input.
• PIN - These diodes feature an undoped intrinsic semiconductor between a P-type semiconductor and an N-type semiconductor - P-I-N. This reduces its rectification potential but makes it suitable for high-voltage circuits, as it can store a large charge.
• Electrical diodes - This is another name for a conventional diode.
• Varactor diodes (also known as varicap diodes) provide voltage-controlled variable capacitance, a feature typically required in radio frequency (RF) circuits.
• Switching diodes are rectifiers used to switch small signals up to 100 mA.
• Semiconductor diodes - The term semiconductor diode is used to denote all diodes that have a p-n junction featuring alternately doped semiconductors.

What are the applications of diodes?

As such a basic, yet critical component, with so many different variations available, diodes have countless uses.

First, as rectifiers, electrical diodes are used to change AC to DC current - useful in electrical switches and as a means of stopping surges from damaging circuits. And because of their rectification abilities, they are useful in stabilizing voltages too.

Semiconductor diodes can also isolate signals within a supply, demodulating the signal in radios to allow the equipment to read the signals held within a carrier wave. What's more, they are used to create processors, making them an important part of most computational devices and consumer electronics.

LEDs are also used in sensors and as user interfaces in countless pieces of technology, and laser diodes are a key component in any laser-based equipment too.

Why choose RS for your diodes?

Whatever type of diode you are looking for, the RS high-quality, great-performance range can help. Our diodes come in a vast range of types and are produced to the highest standards by leaders in the industry.

Choice, value, and quality are our key aims when supplying and distributing diodes. For nearly a century, we have developed deep relationships with manufacturers including Bourns, Littelfuse, Comchip Technology, and Diodes Inc.

That means that, although we stock many thousands of different diodes, you can purchase them safe in the knowledge that they will add exceptional capabilities to your electronic circuits and be trusted to perform.

View our electrical diode range and restrict your search using the filters to the left-hand side of the page. If you have any questions about our diodes, their capabilities, or applications, please get in contact with our team. To learn more about electrical components more generally, be sure to expert hub.