LAB MANUAL: Light Emitting Diode (LED)

Objective:

To study the characteristics and behavior of a Light Emitting Diode (LED) by investigating its I-
V characteristics, verifying its operating region, and observing the light emission under
various current conditions.

Apparatus Required:

1. LED (any color, e.g., red, green)

2. DC Power Supply (adjustable, 0-12V)
3. Resistor (470 ohms to 1k ohms)
4. Digital Multimeter
5. Breadboard and connecting wires
6. Variable Resistor (optional, for current control)

Theory:

A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric
current passes through it. It is a p-n junction diode that operates in forward bias. When forward
biased, electrons from the n-type material recombine with holes in the p-type material, releasing
energy in the form of photons (light). The color of the emitted light depends on the bandgap
energy of the semiconductor material.

 Forward Bias: In this condition, the LED allows current to pass through and emits light.
The voltage across the LED in forward bias typically ranges from 1.8V to 3.3V,
depending on the material and color.
 Reverse Bias: When reverse biased, the LED behaves like a normal diode and blocks
current. No light is emitted.

LED Characteristics:

 Threshold Voltage: The minimum voltage at which the LED starts emitting light.
 Forward Current (IF): The current that flows through the LED in forward bias. Typical
operating current is around 10-20mA.
 Reverse Breakdown Voltage: The maximum reverse voltage beyond which the LED
may get damaged.

Circuit Diagram:

Where:

 Vcc = Power supply (0-12V)

 R = Series resistor to limit current
Procedure:

1. Connection Setup:
o Connect the LED in forward bias configuration on the breadboard.
o Use a series resistor (470 ohms or 1k ohms) to limit the current flowing through
the LED to prevent damage.
o Connect the positive terminal of the power supply to one end of the resistor and
the negative terminal to the cathode (short leg) of the LED.
o Connect the anode (long leg) of the LED to the other end of the resistor.
2. I-V Characteristics:
o Vary the power supply voltage from 0V to 5V in small steps (e.g., 0.1V
increments).
o Use the digital multimeter to measure the voltage across the LED and the current
through the circuit.
o Record the forward current (IF) and the forward voltage (VF) across the LED
for each step.
o Continue increasing the voltage until the LED emits light visibly and note the
corresponding voltage and current (this is the threshold voltage).
3. Light Intensity Observation:
o Observe the brightness of the LED at different current levels (by varying the
voltage).
o Measure the current flowing through the LED using the multimeter and note the
correlation between current and brightness.
o For current values above the rated current (typically 20mA), observe the increase
in brightness but stop increasing current further to avoid damage.
4. Reverse Bias Test:
o Now, reverse the connections to apply reverse bias.
o Slowly increase the reverse voltage and observe the behavior of the LED.
o Use the multimeter to ensure that the reverse current remains negligible (close to
zero) until you approach the reverse breakdown voltage. Do not exceed the
breakdown voltage to avoid damaging the LED.
5. Data Analysis:
o Plot a graph of current (I) vs voltage (V) to obtain the I-V characteristics
curve.
o Identify the threshold voltage (voltage at which current starts increasing rapidly).
o Observe that as the forward voltage increases, the current increases exponentially
beyond the threshold voltage.
o Also, note the blocking behavior of the LED in reverse bias.

Observations:

Voltage (V) Current (mA) Light Emission

0.1 0 None
0.5 0.1 None
1.5 2.5 Dim
Voltage (V) Current (mA) Light Emission
2.0 10 Bright
2.5 15 Very Bright
... ... ...

Graph:

 Plot the I-V Characteristics using voltage (V) on the x-axis and current (mA) on the y-
axis.
 You should observe an exponential rise in current after the threshold voltage (typically
1.8-2.2V for red LEDs).

Conclusion:

1. Threshold Voltage: The LED starts emitting light after a threshold voltage, typically
around 1.8V for red LEDs. For other colors, this voltage varies.
2. Forward Bias: In forward bias, the LED conducts current and emits light. The forward
voltage and current determine the brightness.
3. Reverse Bias: The LED blocks current in reverse bias and no light is emitted. Exceeding
the reverse breakdown voltage can damage the LED.
4. I-V Curve: The I-V curve for the LED shows a non-linear relationship where the current
rises rapidly after the threshold voltage.
5. Current Limiting: A series resistor is necessary to limit the current through the LED to
prevent damage due to excessive current.

Precautions:

1. Do not exceed the rated current of the LED, as it may damage the LED.
2. Ensure the correct polarity when connecting the LED, as reversing the connections can
lead to reverse breakdown.
3. Use appropriate resistors to limit current during the experiment.

Further Study:

 Power Dissipation in LED: Calculate the power dissipated in the LED using P=I×VP = I
\times VP=I×V.
 Effect of Color: Repeat the experiment with different colored LEDs (e.g., green, blue)
and observe the variation in threshold voltage and brightness.