Diodes and rectifiers are widely accepted as passive devices in electronics as they require power to overcome the forward threshold voltage. They are of different types such as light emmiting diodes, P-N junction diodes, zener diodes, schottkey diodes, photo diodes etc. Rectifiers also come in packages such as bridge rectifiers where four or more diodes in a bridge configuration.

Diodes and rectifiers have wide applications in electronics. They are used in rectification of alternating current, providing light, detection of light, stabilization of current and voltage, fast switching, etc.