If you have embarked upon electronics projects in the past, there is a good chance you have already encountered this common component and soldered into your circuit without second thought. Diodes are valuable in electronics and serve a variety of purposes, which will be highlighted in upcoming steps.
First, what is a diode?
A diode is a semiconducting device, that allows current to flow in one direction but not the other.
A semiconductor is a kind of material, in this case silicon or germanium, whose electrical properties lie between those of conductors (metals) and insulators (glass, rubber). Consider conduction: its is a measure of the relative ease of which electrons move through a material. For example, electrons move easily through a piece of metal wire. You can change the behavior of a pure material, like silicon, and turn it into a semiconductor by doping. In doping, you mix a small amount of an impurity into the pure crystalline structure.
For more detail: How-To: Diodes
