What semiconductor condition is described as a high-resistance state when not conducting?

What semiconductor condition is described as a high-resistance state when not conducting?

• A. Active filters
• B. Band-pass
• C. Reverse bias
• D. Power Supply Circuits

Answer: (C)

In a pn junction, the high-resistance state when there is no conduction occurs under reverse bias. When the diode is reverse-biased, the depletion region widens, cutting off most charge flow and leaving only a tiny leakage current. So the device behaves almost like an open circuit with high resistance. If the voltage is increased to a very high level, breakdown can occur, but under normal reverse bias it stays non-conductive. In contrast, forward bias lowers the barrier and allows current to flow, making the device act like a low-resistance path. The other terms describe circuit functions rather than a semiconductor junction’s conduction state, so they don’t describe this high-resistance condition.

In a pn junction, the high-resistance state when there is no conduction occurs under reverse bias. When the diode is reverse-biased, the depletion region widens, cutting off most charge flow and leaving only a tiny leakage current. So the device behaves almost like an open circuit with high resistance. If the voltage is increased to a very high level, breakdown can occur, but under normal reverse bias it stays non-conductive. In contrast, forward bias lowers the barrier and allows current to flow, making the device act like a low-resistance path. The other terms describe circuit functions rather than a semiconductor junction’s conduction state, so they don’t describe this high-resistance condition.