ELECTRONICS LABORATORY

SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES

Introduction:
A diode is a di-electrode device that behaves as a one-directional switch. It allows current from
its anode to cathode terminal when it has forward bias. On the other hand, it has almost zero
current when it is in reverse bias. There are different types of semiconductor diodes, such as:
rectifier diode, Zener diode, light-emitting diode, Schottky diode, varactor diode, and other kinds.
In this activity, we are going to use the rectifier diode. Let us utilize the LTSPICE to run simulations
and determine the characteristics of rectifier diodes and their circuits.

Part 1: Semiconductor Diodes

Our objective is to be familiar with the different kinds of Semiconductor Diodes, before
proceeding with rectifier diodes.

1.1 Fill-up the Table 1. Write the application/s and attach a sample photo for each type of semiconductor
diode. Do not forget to indicate the source or website where we got the photos.
Table 1. Types of Semiconductor Diodes
Semiconductor Application Sample Photo Source or website of
Diode photo
Rectifier Diode A two-lead semiconductor https://www.elprocus.com
that are used to convert AC /rectifier-diode-working-
voltage to DC voltage. applications/

Zener Diode Used as a voltage reference https://sciencestuffs.com/

and as shunt regulators to electronics/what-is-zener-
regulate voltage across diode-uses-operation-
small circuits. types-of-zener-diode

Light Emitting It is used to illuminate

Diode objects whenever a current https://www.dummies.co
or voltage flows through it. m/programming/electronic
s/become-familiar-leds/

Varactor Diode Semiconductor that https://www.electronicshu

behave like variable b.org/varactor-diode/
capacitors. When reverse
biased, they have a
capacitance that varies
with an applied voltage.
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SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES

Schottky Diode Used as rectifiers in https://www.indiamart.co

switched-mode power m/proddetail/schottky-
supplies. Usually used in diodes-15694905548.html
clamping voltages and
preventing transistor
saturation.

Part 2: Characteristics of Rectifier Diode

Our objective is to simulate the characteristics of a Rectifier Diode by using the LTSPICE tool.

Here is a link about ‘Getting Started with LTSPICE.’

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/getting-started-with-ltspice/all

2.1 Connect the circuit diagram, as shown in Figure 1, in LTSPICE tool. The student or group may use
another kind of rectifier diode for diode D1, another value of resistance for resistor R1, and another
voltage level for dc voltage source V1. Take the photo of your own circuit diagram drawn in LTSPICE
tool, and place it in Figure 2. (One way to capture the screen in LTSPICE is: View > Paste Bitmap.)

Fig. 1. Diode Circuit (sample). Fig. 2. Connection of Diode Circuit

2.2 Include a SPICE directive in your schematic diagram. In Figure 1, the directive is .DC V1 -100 100 1. This
directive describes the dc simulation, wherein the voltage of V1 will start from -100 V to +100 V with
an increment of +1 V. For your simulation, set the dc simulation from +200 V to -200 V with 1 V
increment. Run your simulation and show the waveform of current along diode D1. Figure 3 shows
the example of the simulation waveform for the diode circuit in Figure 1. In Figure 3, the current of
diode D1, I(D1), is in y-axis and the voltage of V1 is in x-axis. Now, take a photo of your own waveform,
and place it in Figure 4.
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SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES

2.3 Modify your simulation waveform. Display in the x-axis the voltage across the diode D1. In y-axis,
display the current along the diode D1. Take a snapshot of this waveform, and place it in Figure 5.
Complete the caption of Figure 5 by writing the part number of your diode D1. (Example: The part
number of diode D1 in Figure 1 is 1N914.)

Fig. 5. Current-Voltage Characteristics of Diode 1N914 .

2.4 Based on the simulation results in Figure 4 and Figure 5, indicate in Table 2 the voltage and current of
diode D1.
Table 2. Current and Voltage of Diode 1N914
Voltage of Bias V1 Voltage across Diode D1 Current along Diode D1
- 10 V -22.997699µV -2.5300013nA
-5V -22.95225µV -2.5250007nA
0V 0 0
0.25 V 141.86787mV 15.100065µA
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SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES

0.50 V 270.72033mV 30.058123µA

0.75 V 413.88974mV 44.826838µA
1V 543.17605mV 59.784896µA
5V 4.44794V 489.322µA
10 V 9.4136524V 1.0356056mA

2.5 Based on the simulation results, briefly explain how to turn on the diode?
Based on the simulated results, it can be seen that in positive Vinput, it will increase directly
proportional to the voltage input. Although, if it is at negative Vinput, both voltage and current across
the diode will have a decreasing number of value down to zero. Because of that fact, we can conclude
that if we want to turn on the diode, a positive voltage input must be applied in the given circuit. In
addition, the diode turns on because of the polarity of the diode which is also same with the voltage
input.

2.6 Based on the simulation results, briefly explain how to turn off the diode?
Just like the opposite conclusion above, to turn off the diode, the voltage across the diode must be
negative. You can do that by changing the polarity of Vinput to opposite of the polarity of the diode .
Part 3: Half-Wave Rectifier
Our objective is to simulate the operation of a Half-Wave Rectifier circuit using the LTSPICE tool.

3.1 Connect in LTSPICE the circuit diagram of Half-Wave Rectifier in Figure 6. The student or group may
use another kind of rectifier diode for diode D1, another value of resistance for resistor R1, and
another voltage level for ac sine-wave voltage source V1. Take the photo of your own circuit diagram
drawn in LTSPICE, and place it in Figure 7.

Fig. 6. Half-Wave Rectifier (sample). Fig. 7. Connection of Half-Wave Rectifier.

3.2 Include a SPICE directive in your schematic diagram. In Figure 6, the directive is .TRAN 0.1. This
directive describes the transient simulation with a time stop of 0.1 second or 100 millisecond. The
resulting waveform in transient simulation is similar with the display of oscilloscope instrument,
wherein the x-axis is also time. In Figure 6, the input V1 is a sine-wave voltage source with 0 V dc level,
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SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES

10 V amplitude, and 60 Hertz frequency. With a time stop of 100 ms and with 60 Hz sine wave input
(16.67 ms period), the simulation results displayed 6 cycles as shown in Figure 8. For your simulation,
set the transient simulation to display 3 complete cycles. Run your si mulation, and show the
waveforms of input voltage V1 and output voltage across R1. Figure 8 shows the example of
simulation waveforms for the half-wave rectifier circuit in Figure 6. Now, take a photo of your own
waveforms, and place it in Figure 9.

3.3 Based on the simulation results in Figure 9, determine the peak voltages of input voltage V1 and of
output voltage across resistor R1.

Vinput(max) = 9.988437 V . Voutput(max) = 9.3723524V

Briefly explain the discrepancy between the input voltage and output voltage.
The discrepancy between the input voltage and output voltage is approximately around 0.62 if the
highest value is the basis. Furthermore, the voltage input shows an equal value of positive and
negative half-cycle.

3.4 Based on the simulation results in Figure 9, determine the frequency of input vol tage V1 and of output
voltage across resistor R1.

frequency(input) = 60.422535Hz. frequency(output) = 59.942369Hz.

3.5 Briefly explain the operation of Half-Wave Rectifier.

The operation of Half-wave rectifier is pretty simple. As you observed in the simulation, if we are given
with a positive half cycle voltage input, the voltage output that will be make is a lower voltage with
positive half-cycle value and a negative half-cycle voltage input will only generate 0V voltage output.

Part 4: Full-Wave Rectifier

Our objective is to simulate the operation of a Full-Wave Rectifier circuit using the LTSPICE tool.
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SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES

4.1 Connect in LTSPICE the circuit of Full-Wave Rectifier in Figure 10. The student or group may use
another kind of rectifier diode for diodes D1, D2, D3, and D4, another value of resistance for resistor
R1, and another voltage level for ac sine-wave voltage source V1. Take the photo of your own circuit
diagram drawn in LTSPICE, and place it in Figure 11.

4.2 Include a SPICE directive in your schematic diagram. For your simulation, set the transient simulation
to display 4 complete cycles. Run your simulation, and show the following waveforms: current along
diode D1; current along current D2; current along diode D3; current along diode D4; input voltage V1;
and output voltage across resistor R1. Take a photo of your waveforms, and place it in Figure 12.

Fig. 12. Waveforms of Currents and Voltages in Full-Wave Rectifier.

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4.3 Based on the simulation results in Figure 12, briefly describe which diodes turn on during the positive
half cycle of the input voltage and during the negative half-cycle of the input voltage.
The diodes that turn on during the positive half cycle of the input voltage are diode 1 and diode
4. The reason for that it is because both were in the first wave and created a positive current and
Voutput. The first wave plotted from each diode for the voltage output from a positive input, since
the Vinput commence in a positive input towards negative input. On the other hand, the diodes that
is turn on during the negative half cycle of the input voltage are diode 2 and 3.

4.4 Based on the simulation results in Figure 12, determine the peak voltages of input voltage V1 and of
output voltage across resistor R1.

Vinput(max) = 9.9678555V. Voutput(max) = 8.8077945V.

Briefly explain the discrepancy between the input voltage and output voltage.
If the discrepancy between the voltages can be decided in its peak, the value of input voltage is
higher than the voltage output roughly by 1V. The simulation is containing 4 cycles of positive and
negative half cycle however the voltage output shows a contrasting result which is shows a positive
output all over the graph. Therefore, the voltage output will only generate positive voltage output
despite of the fact that it is made by both positive and negative half cycle.
4.6 Based on the simulation results in Figure 12, determine the frequency of input voltage V1 and of
output voltage across resistor R1.

frequency(input) = 61.168068Hz frequency(output) = 116.85957Hz.

4.7 Briefly explain the operation of Full-Wave Rectifier.

Full wave rectifier rectifies the negative component of the Vinput to a positive voltage, when
converts it into DC using a diode bridge configuration. This kind of rectifier conduct an important job
in shifting a four-diode system into full wave output. As stated already, two of the diodes will be
turned on in the first positive half cycle leading to a positive half-wave cycle. In addition, after the first
half cycle passed, it will be followed by the second negative half -cycle with the last two closed diodes
that will, as well, generate a positive half-wave cycle.

***
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Conclusion
The activity dealt with the semiconductor diodes. The activity is subdivided into 4 parts.
These parts are semiconductor diodes, characteristics of Rectifier Diode, Half-Wave Rectifier,
and Full-Wave Rectifier.
In the first part of the activity, the characteristics of semiconductor diodes were observed.
It was done by filing up the table with specific information. The information are the functio n
or application of the semiconductor diode, its visuals, and where the visuals come from. By
doing this, we were able to familiarize ourselves with the common semiconductor diodes used
in circuits and it will give us a little help for our next experiments.
In the second part of the activity, we were able to simulate the characteristics of a Rectifier
Diode by using a software, Ltspice tool. In this part, we were able to make our own circuit
diagram drawn from the software. In the circuit diagram, it is composed of dc voltage (which
is in forward bias), diode, and a resistor. And for the simulation, we were able to find out the
current-voltage characteristics of the diode by setting the directive of dc simulation from
+200V to -200V with an increment of 1V. After performing the simulation, we were able to
gain some result from the simulation. We were able to fill up the data and have some
conclusion. The following are the things that we were able to learn:
 We learn when the diode is turn on. It is when the applied input voltage is positive.
 We learn when the diode is turn off. It is when the polarity of the input voltage is
opposite to the polarity of the diode.
In the next part, we were able to simulate the operation of a Half-wave rectifier circuit
using, again, the LTspice tool. At first, we make a schematic diagram just like the example that
was given to us. The circuit diagram is composed of voltage source, diode with a specific
model name (1N4148), and a current. For the simulation, we are ask to set a transient
simulation with the directives of having a display of 3 complete cycles. The resulting waveform
of transient simulation will give us a similar display of oscilloscope instrument. Beside from
that, we were ask to paste a simulated waveform of the input and output voltages in HW
rectifiers. With the resulted waveform, we were also able to determine the peak voltages of
input and output voltages and used it to know the discrepancy between the two. Furthermore,
because of the collected data, we were able to discuss the operation of Half-wave rectifier.
In the last part of the experiment, we were able to simulate the operation of a Full-Wave
rectifier. At first, we were able to make a schematic diagram compose of 4 diodes that is place
in parallel connection with the resistance and in series with the voltage. The model that is used
in this part is 1N914. For the simulation, we were ask to set our transient simulation to show 4
complete cycles. We were asked also to display the following waveforms from the simulatio n:
current along diode D1; current along current D2; current along diode D3; current along diode
D4; input voltage V1; and output voltage across resistor R1. After getting the results of
waveforms, we were able to gain data that is necessary to answer the following questions. From
this, we were able to express what we learn or conclude from the simulation.
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The following are the things that we learn from this part of activity:

 The reason why the diodes that turn on during the positive half cycle of the input voltage
is that it is because of both were in the first wave and created a positive current and voltage
output.
 The first wave plotted from each diode for the voltage output from a positive input, since
the voltage input commence in a positive input towards negative input.
 If the discrepancy between the voltages can be decided in its peak, the value of input
voltage is higher than the voltage output.
 The voltage output will only generate positive voltage output despite of the fact that it is
made by both positive and negative half cycle.
 In the given schematic, two of the diodes will be turned on in the first positive half cycle
leading to a positive half-wave cycle.
 After the first half cycle passed, it will be followed by the second negative half-cycle with
the last two closed diodes that will, as well, generate a positive half-wave cycle.
All in all, we were able to accomplish all the objectives of this activity. This will help us
to advance ourselves for further activities that will be given.