Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R Assertion A: A diode under reverse-biased condition provides very small current which is nearly independent of voltage until a critical limit at which the current increases drastically. Reason R: Below the critical voltage limit, only majority charge carriers flow which increases drastically above critical voltage. Ch

Step-by-step solution

In a reverse-biased diode, the current is very small and remains almost constant (known as reverse saturation current) until the breakdown voltage is reached. At the breakdown voltage (critical limit), the current increases drastically. Thus, Assertion A is true. The small current in reverse bias is due to the flow of minority charge carriers, not majority charge carriers. The drastic increase in current at breakdown is due to the generation of a large number of electron-hole pairs (avalanche or Zener breakdown). T