ECE 461 Analog and Mixed Signal Design

Assignment 1
1. Consider a two terminal non linear device where the V-I characteristics is given by ) (V f I = .
Show that the incremental change in current
a
i for an incremental change in voltage
a
v at DC
operating point ) , (
A A
I V is given by
a
V V
A
A
a
v
dV
V df
i
A
=
=
) (
.

2. Suppose a hypothetical two terminal non linear device has I-V characteristics given by the
equation
0 , 0 ) (
0 , ) (
2
< = =
+ + = =
V V f I
V C V C V C V f I
Z Y X
.
Z Y X
C C C , , are constants.
(a) Is the device active or passive?
(b) Find the incremental change in current
a
i for an incremental change in voltage
a
v at DC
operating point ) , (
A A
I V , where 0 >
A
V .
(c) By fraction does
a
i change for a y percent change in
a
v ?
(d) Suppose the device is biased at
'
A
V instead of
A
V , where
'
A
V is y percent greater than
A
V .
Find the incremental change in the current ) (
'
a
i for an incremental change in voltage ) (
a
v at
this new bias point. By what fraction is
'
a
i different from
a
i calculated in part (a).

3. The current voltage characteristics of a photovoltaic voltage can be approximated by
2 1
1 I e I I
T
V
V

= , where the first term characterizes the diode in the dark and
2
I is a term that
depends on light intensity. Assume that
9
1
10

= I A and assume light exposure such that

3
2
10

= I A.
(a) Plot the V-I characteristics of the solar cell and find out the open circuit voltage and short
circuit current.
(b) Supposed it is desired to maximize the power that the solar cell can deliver to a resistive load,
determine the optimum value of the resistor. How much power can this cell deliver?