Shockley Ideal Diode Equation (I = I₀(e^(eV/kBT) − 1))
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I = I₀(e^(eV/kBT) − 1)
What each symbol means
| Symbol | What it stands for |
|---|---|
| I | Diode current (A) |
| T | Absolute temperature (K) |
| V | Voltage across diode (V), forward positive |
| e | Elementary charge (C) |
| I_0 | Reverse saturation current (A) |
| k_B | Boltzmann constant (J/K) |
When to use this
Ideal pn junction; negligible series resistance; thermal equilibrium at T. Forward bias: eV/k_B T ≫ 1 gives exponential growth; reverse: I ≈ −I_0 until breakdown.