EE-203

Diode Circuits Analysis

Problem 1:
Plot the load line and find the Q-point for the diode circuit in Figure 1 if V = 5 V and R =
10 k. Use the i-v characteristic in Figure 2.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Solution:

5 = 104 I D + VD | VD = 0 I D = 0.500mA | I D = 0 VD = 5V
Forward biased - VD = 0.5V ID =

4.5V
= 0.450 mA
104

EE-203
Diode Circuits Analysis

2 mA

iD

1 mA
Q-point
vD
1

Problem 2:

Find the Q-point for the circuit in Figure 3 using the ideal diode model and constant
voltage drop model with Von=0.6V.

Figure 3

Solution :

Ideal diode model: ID = 1V/10k = 100 A; (100 A, 0 V)

Constant voltage drop model: ID = (1-0.6)V/10k = 40.0 A; (40.0 A, 0.6 V)

EE-203
Diode Circuits Analysis
Problem 3:

Find the Q-point for the diode in Figure 4 using (a) the ideal diode model and (b) the
constant voltage drop model with Von = 0.6 V. (c) Discuss the results. Which answer do
you feel is most correct?

Figure 4

Solution :

Using Thvenin equivalent circuits yields and then combining the sources

1.2 k
1.6 V

I
-

1k

2V

2.2 k
+

0.4 V

(a) Ideal diode model: The 0.4 V source appears to be forward biasing the diode so
we will assume it is "on". Substituting the ideal diode model for the forward region
0.4V
= 0.182 mA . This current is greater than zero, which is consistent
yields I =
2.2k
with the diode being "on". Thus the Q-pt is (0 V, +0.182 mA).

EE-203
Diode Circuits Analysis
I
V

2.2 k

Ideal Diode:

0.4 V

CVD:
V

on

- +
I

2.2 k

0.6 V

0.4 V

(b) CVD model: The 0.4 V source appears to be forward biasing the diode so we will
assume it is "on". Substituting the CVD model with Von = 0.6 V yields
0.4V 0.6V
= 90.9 A . This current is negative which is not consistent with
I=
2.2k
the assumption that the diode is "on". Thus the diode must be off. The resulting Q-pt
is: (0.4 V, 0 mA).
-

V +

I=0

2.2 k
+

0.4 V

(c) The second estimate is more realistic. 0.4 V is not sufficient to forward bias the
diode into significant conduction. For example, let us assume that IS = 10-15 A and
assume that the full 0.4 V appears across the diode. Then

0.4V
iD = 1015 A exp
1 = 8.89 nA , a very small current.
0.025V

EE-203
Diode Circuits Analysis
Problem 4:
(a) Find I and V in the four circuits in Figure 5 using the ideal diode model. (b) Repeat
using the constant voltage drop model with Von = 0.7 V.

Figure 5

(a)

5 ( 5)
= 0.500 mA
20k
(b) Diode is reverse biased: I =0 | V=7 20k ( I ) = 7 V | VD = 10 V
(a ) Diode is forward biased:V = 5+0= 5 V | I=

3 ( 7)
= 0.500 mA
20k
(d ) Diode is reverse biased: I =0 | V= 5 + 20k ( I ) = 5 V | VD = 10 V
(c) Diode is forward biased:V =3 0=3 V | I=

(b)

5 ( 4.3)
= 0.465 mA
20k
(b) Diode is reverse biased: I =0 | V=7 20k ( I ) = 7 V | VD = 10 V
(a ) Diode is forward biased:V = 5+0.7= 4.3 V | I=

2.3 ( 7)
= 0.465 mA
20k
(d ) Diode is reverse biased: I =0 | V= 5 + 20k ( I ) = 5 V | VD = 10 V
(c) Diode is forward biased:V =3 0.7=2.3 V | I=

EE-203
Diode Circuits Analysis
Problem 5:

(a) Find I and V in the four circuits in Figure 5 using the ideal diode model if the resistor
values are changed to 100 k. (b) Repeat using the constant voltage drop model with
Von = 0.6 V.
Solution :

(a)
5 ( 5)
= 100 A
100k
(b) Diode is reverse biased: I =0 A | V=7 100k ( I ) = 7 V | VD = 10 V
(a ) Diode is forward biased:V = 5+0= 5 V | I=

3 ( 7 )
= 100 A
100k
(d ) Diode is reverse biased: I =0 A | V= 5 + 100k ( I ) = 5 V | VD = 10 V
(c) Diode is forward biased:V =3 0=3 V | I=

(b)

5 ( 4.4)
= 94.0 A
100k
(b) Diode is reverse biased: I =0 | V=7 100k ( I ) = 7 V | VD = 10 V
(a ) Diode is forward biased:V = 5+0.6= 4.4 V | I=

2.4 ( 7)
= 94.0 A
100k
(d ) Diode is reverse biased: I =0 | V= 5 + 20k ( I ) = 5 V | VD = 10 V
(c) Diode is forward biased:V =3 0.6=2.4 V | I=

EE-203
Diode Circuits Analysis
Problem 6:

Find the Q-points for the diodes in the circuits in Figure 6 using the ideal diode model.

Figure 6

Solution :

Diodes are labeled from left to right

(a ) D1 on, D 2 off, D3 on: ID2 = 0 | ID1 =

10 0
= 1mA
3k + 7 k

0 ( 5)
I D3 = 1.00mA | VD2 = 5 (10 3000 I D1 ) = 2V
2.5k
D1:(1.00 mA, 0 V ) D 2 :( 0 mA, 2 V ) D3:(1.00 mA, 0 V )
I D3 + 1.00mA =

(b) D1 on, D 2 off, D3 off: I D2 = 0 | I D3 = 0

10 ( 5)
= 0.500mA | VD2 = 5 (10 8000 I D1 ) = 1.00V
8k + 10k + 12k
VD3 = ( 5 + 12000 I D1 ) = 1.00V
I D1 =

D1 : ( 0.500 mA, 0 V ) D2 : ( 0 A, 1.00 V ) D3 : ( 0 A, 1.00 V )

EE-203
Diode Circuits Analysis
(c) D1 on, D 2 on, D3 on

0 ( 10)
0 ( 2)
= 1.25mA > 0 | I10K =
= 0.200mA | I D 2 = I D1 + I10 K = 1.05mA > 0
8k
10k
2 ( 5)
I12K =
= 0.583mA | I D 3 = I12 K I10 K = 0.783mA > 0
12k
D1 : (1.25 mA, 0 V ) D2 : (1.05 mA, 0 V ) D3 : ( 0.783 mA, 0 V )
I D1 =

(d ) D1 off , D2 off , D3 on: I D1 = 0, I D 2 = 0

12 ( 5) V
= 567 A > 0 | VD1 = 0 ( 5 + 10000 I D 3 ) = 0.667V < 0
30
k
VD2 = 5 (12 10000 I D 3 ) = 1.33V < 0
I D3 =

D1 : ( 0 A, 0.667 V ) D2 : ( 0 A, 1.33 V ) D3 : ( 567 A, 0 V )

Problem 7:
Find the Q-points for the diodes in the circuits in Figure 6 using the constant voltage drop
model with Von = 0.6 V.

Solution:
Diodes are labeled from left to right

(a ) D1 on, D 2 off, D3 on: ID2 = 0 | ID1 =

10 0.6 ( 0.6)
= 1.00mA
3k + 7 k

0.6 ( 5)
I D3 = 0.760mA | VD2 = 5 (10 0.6 3000 I D1 ) = 1.40V
2.5k
D1:(1.00 mA, 0.600 V ) D 2 :( 0 mA, 1.40 V ) D3 :( 0.760 mA, 0.600V )
I D3 + 1.00mA =

(b) D1 on, D 2 off, D3 off: I D2 = 0 | I D3 = 0

10 0.6 ( 5)
= 0.480mA | VD2 = 5 (10 0.6 8000 I D1 ) = 0.560V
8k + 10k + 12k
VD3 = ( 5 + 12000 I D1 ) = 0.760V
I D1 =

D1:( 0.480 mA, 0.600 V ) D 2 :( 0 A, 0.560 V ) D3:( 0 A, 0.760 V )

EE-203
Diode Circuits Analysis
(c) D1 on, D 2 on, D3 on

0.6 ( 9.4) V
0.6 (1.4) V
= 1.10mA > 0 | I10 K =
= 0.200mA
8
k
10
k
1.4 ( 5) V
I D 2 = I D1 + I10 K = 0.900mA > 0 | I12 K =
= 0.533mA | I D 3 = I12 K I10 K = 0.733mA > 0
12
k
D1:(1.10 mA, 0.600 V ) D 2 :( 0.900 mA, 0.600 V ) D3 :( 0.733 mA, 0.600 V)
I D1 =

(d ) D1 off , D2 off , D3 on: I D1 = 0, I D 2 = 0

11.4 ( 5) V
= 547 A > 0 | VD1 = 0 ( 5 + 10000 I D 3 ) = 0.467V < 0
30
k
VD2 = 5 (11.4 10000 I D 3 ) = 0.933V < 0
I D3 =

D1 : ( 0 A, 0.467 V ) D2 : ( 0 A, 0.933 V ) D3 : ( 547 A, 0 V )