Selenium rectifier: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:49, 10 October 2022

Revision as of 15:06, 4 November 2022

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==Replacement==

Selenium rectifiers had a shorter lifespan than desired. During catastrophic failure they produced significant quantities of malodorous and highly toxic [[hydrogen selenide]]<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1950-08-22 |title=Constitution and mechanism of the selenium rectifier photocell |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspa.1950.0112 |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences |language=en |volume=202 |issue=1071 |pages=449–466 |doi=10.1098/rspa.1950.0112 |bibcode=1950RSPSA.202..449P |issn=0080-4630|last1=Preston |first1=J. S. |s2cid=93164294 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date= |year=1978 |title=Occupational Health Guideline for Hydrogen Selenide |url=https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0336.pdf |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=cdc.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=PubChem |title=Hydrogen selenide |url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/533 |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |language=en}}</ref> that let the repair technician know what the problem was. By far the most common failure mode was a progressive increase in forward resistance, increasing forward [[voltage drop]] and reducing the rectifier's efficiency. During the 1960s they began to be superseded by [[silicon rectifiers]], which exhibited lower forward voltage drop, lower cost, and higher reliability.<ref>[http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-018/of03-018.pdf Selenium, U.S. Department of the Interior].</ref>

==Selenium diode computer logic==