ODP: Diode Question

[Roman Sowa]

All current will not flow through only one diode. It will split
and how equally the split will be depends on their matching.
Diode current rises 'e' times (2.7) with every 29mV voltage
rise, so if diodes differ only by few mV, they will split the
current about equally (in a manner of magnitudes).

disclaimer: valid for silicon at 290K. This is what I remember
from school, so it may be totally wrong

Roman

> -----Oryginalna wiadomość-----
> Od:	Doug Tymofichuk [SMTP:dougt at cancerboard.ab.ca]
> Wysłano:	14 czerwca 1999 20:59
> Do:	WeAreAs1 at aol.com
> DW:	synth-diy at mailhost.bpa.nl
> Temat:	Re: Diode Question
> 
> 
> NO, this is more like using batteries, in series the 
> voltages are added, in parallel they are not. No two diodes 
> have identical voltage drops, so putting two in parallel 
> just means that all the current will go through the one 
> with the lowest impedance. The other diode will not do 
> anything, it is a waste of time even having it there. 
> However, if you add some low resistance in series with each 
> diode, the difference in voltage drop is made up there, 
> causing both diodes to conduct.
>