Light-Emitting Diode

Exponential light-emitting diode with optical power output port

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Simscape / Electrical / Sensors & Transducers

Description

The Light-Emitting Diode block represents a light-emitting diode as an exponential diode in series with a current sensor. The optical power presented at the signal port W is equal to the product of the current flowing through the diode and the Optical power per unit current parameter value.

The exponential diode model provides this relationship between the diode current I and the diode voltage V:

$$I=IS\cdot \left(e^{\frac{qV}{Nk{T}_{m1}}}-1\right)$$

where:

• q is the elementary charge on an electron (1.602176e–19 Coulombs).

• k is the Boltzmann constant (1.3806503e–23 J/K).

• N is the emission coefficient.

• IS is the saturation current.

• T_m1 is the temperature at which you specify the diode parameters by using the Measurement temperature parameter value.

When (qV / NkT_m1) > 80, the block replaces $$e^{\frac{qV}{Nk{T}_{m1}}}$$ with (qV / NkT_m1 – 79)e⁸⁰, which matches the gradient of the diode current at (qV / NkT_m1) = 80 and extrapolates linearly. When (qV / NkT_m1) < –79, the block replaces $$e^{\frac{qV}{Nk{T}_{m1}}}$$ with (qV / NkT_m1 + 80)e^–79, which also matches the gradient and extrapolates linearly. Typical electrical circuits do not reach these extreme values. The block provides this linear extrapolation to help convergence when solving for the constraints during simulation.

When you select Use parameters IS and N for the Parameterization parameter, you specify the diode in terms of the Saturation current IS and Emission coefficient N parameters. When you select Use I-V curve data points for the Parameterization parameter, you specify two voltage and current measurement points on the diode I-V curve and the block derives the IS and N values. When you specify current and voltage measurements, the block calculates IS and N as follows:

• $$\text{N}=((V_1-V_2)/V_t)/(\log (I_1)-\log (I_2))$$

• $$\text{IS}=\left(I_1/(\exp (V_1/(\text{N}{V}_t))-1)+I_2/(\exp (V_2/(\text{N}{V}_t))-1)\right)/2$$

where:

• V_t = kT_m1 / q.

• V₁ and V₂ are the values in the Voltages [V1 V2] vector.

• I₁ and I₂ are the values in the Currents [I1 I2] vector.

The exponential diode model provides the option to include a junction capacitance:

• When you select Fixed or zero junction capacitance for the Parameterization parameter, the capacitance is fixed.

• When you select Use parameters CJO, VJ, M & FC for the Parameterization parameter, the block uses the coefficients CJO, VJ, M, and FC to calculate a junction capacitance that depends on the junction voltage.

• When you select Use C-V curve data points for the Parameterization parameter, the block uses three capacitance values on the C-V capacitance curve to estimate CJO, VJ, and M and uses these values with the specified value of FC to calculate a junction capacitance that depends on the junction voltage. The block calculates CJO, VJ, and M as follows:

  • $$CJ0=C_1{((V_{R2}-V_{R1})/(V_{R2}-V_{R1}{(C_2/C_1)}^{-1/M}))}^M$$

  • $$VJ=-(-V_{R2}{(C_1/C_2)}^{-1/M}+V_{R1})/(1-{(C_1/C_2)}^{-1/M})$$

  • $$M=\log (C_3/C_2)/\log (V_{R2}/V_{R3})$$

  where:

  • V_R1, V_R2, and V_R3 are the values in the Reverse bias voltages [VR1 VR2 VR3] vector.

  • C₁, C₂, and C₃ are the values in the Corresponding capacitances [C1 C2 C3] vector.

  It is not possible to estimate FC reliably from tabulated data, so you must specify its value using the Capacitance coefficient FC parameter. In the absence of suitable data for this parameter, use a typical value of 0.5.

  The reverse bias voltages (defined as positive values) should satisfy V_R3 > V_R2 > V_R1. This means that the capacitances should satisfy C₁ > C₂ > C₃ as reverse bias widens the depletion region and hence reduces capacitance. Violating these inequalities results in an error. Voltages V_R2 and V_R3 should be well away from the Junction potential VJ. Voltage V_R1 should be less than the Junction potential VJ, with a typical value for V_R1 being 0.1 V.

The voltage-dependent junction is defined in terms of the charge of junction capacitance Q_j as:

• For V < FC·VJ:

  $$Q_j=CJ0\cdot (VJ/(M-1))\cdot ({(1-V/VJ)}^{1-M}-1)$$

• For V ≥ FC·VJ:

  $$Q_j=CJ0\cdot F_1+(CJ0/F_2)\cdot (F_3\cdot (V-FC\cdot VJ)+0.5(M/VJ)\cdot (V^2-{(FC\cdot VJ)}^2))$$

where:

• $$F_1=(VJ/(1-M))\cdot (1-{(1-FC)}^{1-M}))$$

• $$F_2={(1-FC)}^{1+M}))$$

• $$F_3=1-FC\cdot (1+M)$$

• V is the junction capacitance voltage.

These equations are the same as used in [2], except that the temperature dependence of VJ and FC is not modeled. This model does not include the diffusion capacitance term that affects performance for high frequency switching applications.

The Light-Emitting Diode block contains several options for modeling the dependence of the diode current-voltage relationship on the temperature during simulation. Temperature dependence of the junction capacitance is not modeled, this being a much smaller effect. For details, see the Diode reference page.

Thermal Port

You can expose the thermal port to model the effects of generated heat and device temperature. To expose the thermal port, set the Modeling option parameter to either:

• No thermal port — The block does not contain a thermal port and does not simulate heat generation in the device.

• Show thermal port — The block contains a thermal port that allows you to model the heat that conduction losses generate. For numerical efficiency, the thermal state does not affect the electrical behavior of the block.

For more information on using thermal ports and on the Thermal Port parameters, see Simulating Thermal Effects in Semiconductors.

Variables

To set the priority and initial target values for the block variables before simulation, use the Initial Targets section in the block dialog box or Property Inspector. For more information, see Set Priority and Initial Target for Block Variables.

Note

To satisfy all your initial targets, do not set the priority to High for more initial targets than the total number of differential variables in the block equations.

• If in the Capacitance section, you set Parameterization to Fixed or zero junction capacitance and Junction capacitance to 0, the total number of differential variables in the block equations is zero. Do not set the priority of any variables in the Initial Targets section to High.

• If in the Capacitance section, you set Parameterization to Fixed or zero junction capacitance and you set the Junction capacitance parameter to a nonzero value, the total number of differential variables in the block equations is one. Set the priority to High for no more than one variable in the Initial Targets section.

• If in the Capacitance section, you set Parameterization to Use C-V curve data points or Use parameters Cj0, VJ, M & FC, the total number of differential variables in the block equations is one. Set the priority to High for no more than one variable in the Initial Targets section.

Use nominal values to specify the expected magnitude of a variable in a model. Using system scaling based on nominal values increases the simulation robustness. Nominal values can come from different sources. One of these sources is the Nominal Values section in the block dialog box or Property Inspector. For more information, see System Scaling by Nominal Values.

Plot Basic I-V Characteristics

You can plot the basic I-V characteristics of the Light-Emitting Diode block without building a complete model. Use the plots to explore the impact of your parameter choices on device characteristics. If you parameterize the block from a datasheet, you can compare your plots to the datasheet to check that you parameterized the block correctly. If you have a complete working model but do not know which manufactured part to use, you can compare your plots to datasheets to help you decide.

To enable this option, set the Modeling option parameter of the Light-Emitting Diode block to No thermal port. To plot the basic characteristics, right-click the block and select Electrical > Basic characteristics from the context menu. For more information about the Basic characteristics option, see Plot Basic I-V Characteristics of Semiconductor Blocks.

Examples

Linear LED Driver

A LED driver based on a linear current regulator. The scope shows the light and current output and the supply voltage. The output comes into regulation for a supply voltage greater than about 12V.

• Open Model

Assumptions and Limitations

• When you select Use I-V curve data points for the Parameterization parameter, choose a pair of voltages near the diode turn-on voltage. Typically this is in the range from 0.05 to 1 Volt. Using values outside of this region may lead to numerical issues and poor estimates for IS and N.

• You might need to use nonzero ohmic resistance and junction capacitance values to prevent numerical simulation issues, but the simulation might run faster with these values set to zero.

• The dissipated power also contains the optical output power (W). As a consequence, the block includes the optical output power in the heat generation inside the device.

Ports

Output

W — Optical output power

physical signal

Physical signal port associated with the optical output power.

Conserving

+ — Positive terminal

electrical

Electrical conserving port associated with the anode.

- — Negative terminal

electrical

Electrical conserving port associated with the cathode.

H — Thermal port

thermal

Thermal conserving port.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Modeling option to Show thermal port.

Parameters

Modeling option — Whether to enable thermal port

No thermal port (default) | Show thermal port

Whether to enable the thermal port of the block and model the effects of generated heat and device temperature.

Main

Optical power per unit current — Optical power per unit current

0.005 W/A (default)

Amount of optical power the light-emitting diode generates per unit of current flowing through the diode.

Parameterization — Model parameterization

Use I-V curve data points (default) | Use parameters IS and N

Select one of the following methods for model parameterization:

• Use I-V curve data points — Specify measured data at two points on the diode I-V curve. This is the default method.

• Use parameters IS and N — Specify saturation current and emission coefficient.

Currents [I1 I2] — Vector of current values at two points

[ 0.0017 0.003 ] A (default)

A vector of the current values at the two points on the diode I-V curve that the block uses to calculate IS and N.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use I-V curve data points for the Parameterization parameter.

Voltages [V1 V2] — Vector of voltage values at two points

[ 0.9 1.05 ] V (default)

A vector of the voltage values at the two points on the diode I-V curve that the block uses to calculate IS and N.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use I-V curve data points for the Parameterization parameter.

Saturation current, IS — Saturation current

5e-5 A (default)

The magnitude of the current that the ideal diode equation approaches asymptotically for very large reverse bias levels.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use parameters IS and N for the Parameterization parameter.

Emission coefficient, N — Emission coefficient

10 (default)

The diode emission coefficient or ideality factor.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use parameters IS and N for the Parameterization parameter.

Ohmic resistance, RS — Series diode connection resistance

0.1 Ohm (default)

The series diode connection resistance.

Measurement temperature — Measurement temperature

25 degC (default)

The temperature at which IS or the I-V curve was measured.

Junction Capacitance

Parameterization — Junction capacitance parameterization

Fixed or zero junction capacitance (default) | Use C-V curve data points | Use parameters CJ0, VJ, M & FC

Select one of the following options for modeling the junction capacitance:

• Fixed or zero junction capacitance — Model the junction capacitance as a fixed value.

• Use C-V curve data points — Specify measured data at three points on the diode C-V curve.

• Use parameters CJ0, VJ, M & FC — Specify zero-bias junction capacitance, junction potential, grading coefficient, and forward-bias depletion capacitance coefficient.

Junction capacitance — Junction capacitance

20 pF (default)

Fixed value of the junction capacitance.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Fixed or zero junction capacitance for the Parameterization parameter.

Zero-bias junction capacitance, CJ0 — Zero-bias junction capacitance

20 pF (default)

Value of the capacitance placed in parallel with the exponential diode term.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use parameters CJ0, VJ, M & FC for the Parameterization parameter.

Reverse bias voltages [VR1 VR2 VR3] — Reverse bias voltages

[ 0.1 10 100 ] V (default)

A vector of the reverse bias voltage values at the three points on the diode C-V curve that the block uses to calculate CJ0, VJ, and M.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use C-V curve data points for the Parameterization parameter.

Corresponding capacitances [C1 C2 C3] — Corresponding capacitances

[ 15 10 2 ] pF (default)

A vector of the capacitance values at the three points on the diode C-V curve that the block uses to calculate CJ0, VJ, and M.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use C-V curve data points for the Parameterization parameter.

Junction potential, VJ — Junction potential

1 V (default)

Junction potential.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use parameters CJ0, VJ, M & FC for the Parameterization parameter.

Grading coefficient, M — Grading coefficient

0.5 (default)

The grading coefficient.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use parameters CJ0, VJ, M & FC for the Parameterization parameter.

Capacitance coefficient, FC — Capacitance coefficient

0.5 (default)

Fitting coefficient that quantifies the decrease of the depletion capacitance with applied voltage.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use C-V curve data points or Use parameters CJ0, VJ, M & FC for the Parameterization parameter.

Temperature Dependence

Parameterization — Temperature dependence parameterization

None — Simulate at parameter measurement temperature (default) | Use an I-V data point at second measurement temperature T2 | Specify saturation current at second measurement temperature T2 | Specify the energy gap EG

Select one of the following methods for temperature dependence parameterization:

• None — Simulate at parameter measurement temperature — Temperature dependence is not modeled, or the model is simulated at the measurement temperature T_m1 (as specified by the Measurement temperature parameter on the Main tab). This is the default method.

• Use an I-V data point at second measurement temperature T2 — If you select this option, you specify a second measurement temperature T_m2, and the current and voltage values at this temperature. The model uses these values, along with the parameter values at the first measurement temperature T_m1, to calculate the energy gap value.

• Specify saturation current at second measurement temperature T2 — If you select this option, you specify a second measurement temperature T_m2, and saturation current value at this temperature. The model uses these values, along with the parameter values at the first measurement temperature T_m1, to calculate the energy gap value.

• Specify the energy gap EG — Specify the energy gap value directly.

Current I1 at second measurement temperature — Current I1 at second measurement temperature

0.0034 A (default)

Specify the diode current I1 value when the voltage is V1 at the second measurement temperature.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use an I-V data point at second measurement temperature T2 for the Parameterization parameter.

Voltage V1 at second measurement temperature — Voltage V1 at second measurement temperature

1.05 V (default)

Specify the diode voltage V1 value when the current is I1 at the second measurement temperature.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use an I-V data point at second measurement temperature T2 for the Parameterization parameter.

Saturation current, IS, at second measurement temperature — Saturation current, IS, at second measurement temperature

1.8e-4 A (default)

Specify the saturation current IS value at the second measurement temperature.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Specify saturation current at second measurement temperature T2 for the Parameterization parameter.

Second measurement temperature — Second measurement temperature

125 degC (default)

Specify the value for the second measurement temperature.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Use an I-V data point at second measurement temperature T2 or Specify saturation current at second measurement temperature T2 for the Parameterization parameter.

Energy gap parameterization — Energy gap parameterization

Use nominal value for silicon (EG=1.11eV) (default) | Use nominal value for 4H-SiC silicon carbide (EG=3.23eV) | Use nominal value for 6H-SiC silicon carbide (EG=3.00eV) | Use nominal value for germanium (EG=0.67eV) | Use nominal value for gallium arsenide (EG=1.43eV) | Use nominal value for selenium (EG=1.74eV) | Use nominal value for Schottky barrier diodes (EG=0.69eV) | Specify a custom value

Select a value for the energy gap from a list of predetermined options, or specify a custom value:

• Use nominal value for silicon (EG=1.11eV) — This is the default.

• Use nominal value for 4H-SiC silicon carbide (EG=3.23eV)

• Use nominal value for 6H-SiC silicon carbide (EG=3.00eV)

• Use nominal value for germanium (EG=0.67eV)

• Use nominal value for gallium arsenide (EG=1.43eV)

• Use nominal value for selenium (EG=1.74eV)

• Use nominal value for Schottky barrier diodes (EG=0.69eV)

• Specify a custom value — If you select this option, the Energy gap, EG parameter appears in the dialog box, to let you specify a custom value for EG.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Specify the energy gap EG for the Parameterization parameter.

Energy gap, EG — Energy gap

1.11 eV (default)

Specify a custom value for the energy gap, EG.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Specify a custom value for the Energy gap parameterization parameter.

Saturation current temperature exponent parameterization — Saturation current temperature exponent parameterization

Use nominal value for pn-junction diode (XTI=3) (default) | Use nominal value for Schottky barrier diode (XTI=2) | Specify a custom value

Select one of the following options to specify the saturation current temperature exponent value:

• Use nominal value for pn-junction diode (XTI=3) — This is the default.

• Use nominal value for Schottky barrier diode (XTI=2)

• Specify a custom value — If you select this option, the Saturation current temperature exponent, XTI parameter appears in the dialog box, to let you specify a custom value for XTI.

Saturation current temperature exponent, XTI — Saturation current temperature exponent

3 (default)

Specify a custom value for the saturation current temperature exponent, XTI.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when you select Specify a custom value for the Saturation current temperature exponent parameterization parameter.

Device simulation temperature — Device simulation temperature

25 degC (default)

Specify the value for the temperature T_s, at which the device is to be simulated.

References

[1] H. Ahmed and P.J. Spreadbury. Analogue and digital electronics for engineers. 2nd Edition, Cambridge University Press, 1984.

[2] G. Massobrio and P. Antognetti. Semiconductor Device Modeling with SPICE. 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1993.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2008a

R2024a: Junction capacitance voltage variable replaced with Charge of junction capacitance variable

If, in the Capacitance section, you set Parameterization to Use C-V curve data points or Use parameters Cj0, VJ, M & FC, you now specify Initial Targets and Nominal Values for capacitance and charge modeling using the Charge of junction capacitance variable. The Junction capacitance voltage variable is no longer enabled.

If a model you created in an earlier release uses these values for Parameterization and specifies Initial Targets or Nominal Values for the Junction capacitance voltage variable, you must update the model. For more information on how to calculate the charge of junction capacitance, see Description.