EN1802 - Basic Electronics

S3 - Diodes, Diode Circuits and Applications

By : Dr. S. Thayaparan

Slide contents are extracted form the following source of Origins:

1. ‘Basic Electronics’ Lecture Notes, ENTC 2010 (EN1802-09S2)
2. http://cktse.eie.polyu.edu.hk/eie209 By Prof. Michael Tse
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipper_(electronics)
5. http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/chpt_3/6.html
6. http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/powersup.htm
7. http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/diode/diode_7.html
8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon-controlled_rectifier
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Load_line_diode.png

Course Outline

1. Introduction
2. Materials used in Electronics
3. Diodes, Diode Circuits and Applications
4. Bipolar Junction Transistors and Circuits
5. Field Effect Transistors and Circuits
6. Integrated Circuits and Amplifiers
7. Logic Gates and Circuits

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3. Diodes, Diode Circuits and Applications

3.1 What is a diode?

3.2 Diode Model – Ideal

Ideal diode I-V characteristics can be drawn as

follows.
I
Forward bias region
ON switch  Like a short circuit.

V
Reverse bias region
OFF switch  Like an open circuit.

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 3.2 Diode Model – Ideal

Ideal diode model.

Ideal diode (which is hypothetical but makes the
analysis simpler) is like an ON-OFF switch.

Forward biased – ON switch Reveres biased – OFF switch

Replace the diode with an ON Replace the diode with an

(Closed) switch OFF (Open) switch
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3.3 Diode Model – Nearly Ideal

The nearly ideal I-V characteristics of the diode can

be drawn as follows.
I
Forward bias region
Battery  Constant barrier potential

vγ V

Reverse bias region

OFF switch  Like an open circuit.
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 3.3 Diode Model – Nearly Ideal

Nearly ideal diode model

The earlier model (approximation) didn’t consider the barrier
potential which is peculiar to diodes. This model takes that also in
to account, hence it is more realistic.

Forward biased – Battery Reveres biased – Open circuit

vγ

Replace the diode with a Replace the diode with a OFF

battery of V (Open) switch
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3.4 Diode Model – Real

Real I-V characteristics of the p-n junction

Cut-in voltage, Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV), Reverse current

Unlike resistive elements, this non linear behavior makes it bit difficult
to analyze the circuits.

For this reason we use simple diode models. (A model is something
that can be used in place of the actual thing.)
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 3.5 Real Characteristic

3.6 Shockley Diode Equation

Thermal voltage VT is given by:

Where
k - Boltzmann constant
T - absolute temperature of the p-n junction
q - magnitude of charge on an electron ~ 1.6 × 10−19 coulombs

I–V characteristic of an ideal diode in either forward or

reverse bias is given by:
where
I - diode current
IS - reverse bias saturation current (or scale current)
VD - voltage across the diode
VT - thermal voltage
n - ideality (quality) factor (varies from 1 to 2)
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 3.7 Understanding Diode Circuits

For our course of study, nearly ideal diode model is fair enough to
analyze the circuits

More complicated diode models are there when the design
requirements are more precise. (e.g. models that take the junction
capacitance, terminal capacitance in to account)

For many instances it is sufficient to think the diode as a ON-OFF
type switch that makes the work easier

Think in terms of the diode model and try to understand what
happens in the circuit

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3.8 Which model to use?

The choice depends on the external voltage magnitudes.

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 3.9 Half-wave Rectifier

Rectification – Converting an alternating quantity to

direct quantity.

Recall alternating and direct quantities and their
important parameters.

Vd

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3.9 Half-wave Rectifier

Vin is ac and Vout is dc (pulsating dc out put)

During the positive half cycle of the input, the diode is forward biased
and act as a closed switch

As because the diode introduces a potential barrier the peak of the
output would be less than that of the input : V(peak)out = V(peak)in - Vd

During the negative half cycle of the input, the diode is in reverse bias
hence the out put is zero (open circuit)

Only one half of the input is obtained as the out put. Hence the name
half wave rectifier is used.

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 3.9 Half-wave Rectifier

The output frequency is same as the input frequency.

The average value of the output is: Vm/П or 0.318 * Vm
where Vm is the peak amplitude of the output

The above circuit clips off the negative half cycle of the input.

What changes have to be made to clip off the positive half cycle of the
input?

What should be the limit for the PIV rating of the diode for safe
operation?

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3.10 Reverse Polarity Protector

There are certain equipments that are sensitive to the polarity of the
power supply. If you connect the +/- wrongly the equipment get
damaged.

Diodes can be used as a protecting devices against this, simply
because diodes are uni-directional

Changing the polarity of the batteries will

not affect the equipment as long as the
diode is there.

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 3.11 Clipping Circuit

This is another application of diodes. Clipping circuits

usually clip off certain portions of the input wave forms and
results a wave of different shape.

Note : Assume the forward voltage drop

of the silicon diode is 0.7V

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3.11 Clipping Circuit

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 Question 1-2

Q1. Draw the waveform for Vo

Q2. Design a circuit to clip Vi Vo

the signal as shown

Note : Assume the forward voltage drop of the silicon diode is 0.7V
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3.12 Clipper with Zener Diodes

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 3.13 DC Clamp Circuits

Clamping means adding an offset. (Shifting up or down)

DC clamp circuits are used to add DC offsets to AC signals.

Consider the following example

Input Output is the clamped version of input

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3.13 DC Clamp Circuits

• During the first negative half cycle of the input the capacitor get
charged. (It charges up to the peak value of input, say Vm)
• After the capacitor is charged the input waveform is shifted upward
by that amount Vm, and given as the output

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 3.14 Application Examples

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3.15 Full wave Rectifier

Unlike the half wave rectifier, this gives a full wave output.

Irrespective of the polarity of the input signal, the out put
current flows in one direction through the load (shown by
the arrow)

There are two ways of achieving the full wave rectification.

Bridge type

Center tapped transformer type

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 3.15.1 Full wave Rectifier – Bridge type

B
A

Output
C
D current
direction

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3.15.1 Full wave Rectifier – Bridge type

Four diodes are utilized

During the positive half cycle of the input the diodes B and C are
forward biased and A and D are reverse biased.

If the peak of the input (after being stepped down from the
transformer) to the diode bridge is Vm then the peak of the
output would be Vm– 2 * Vd (diode cut in voltage)

Assuming Vd ≈ 0, average value of the rectified out put is
2 * Vm /П (twice compared to half wave rectifier)

Each diode is subjected to a maximum reverse bias voltage of Vm

Diodes should have a PIV rating of at least Vm

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 3.15.2 Full wave Rectifier – Center Tapped
Transformer Type

A Output
current
direction

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3.15.2 Full wave Rectifier – Center Tapped

Transformer Type

Second technique to achieve the full wave rectification using 2

diodes and a center tapped transformer

During the positive half cycle of the input, diode A will conduct
and diode B will not. During the negative half cycle of the
input diode B will conduct and diode A will not

Each diode is subjected to a maximum reverse bias voltage of
2Vm (where Vmis the peak voltage between the center and the
one terminal of the transformer)

Average out put is 2 * Vm /П, same as in the bridge rectifier

Diodes should have a PIV rating of at least 2Vm in order to
ensure the safe operation

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 Assignment - 1
Rectification Methods Comparison

HWR FWR - Bridge FWR -

Transformer

No. of diodes Fill it by your

self !!!

PIV rating of
each diode

Average out
put voltage

Average
diode
current
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3.16 Rectification and Smoothing

Rectification – Converting an alternating quantity to direct

quantity.

Smoothing – Improve the DC quality of the output (reduce
ripple or variations

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 3.16.1 Smoothing – Capacitor Filter

It can be seen that the output of the above full wave

rectifiers are pulsating. i.e. the magnitude of the output
is varying between the peak and the zero

This is not desirable in many applications

For minimize this ripple (fluctuating DC output), a
smoothing capacitor is introduced

The capacitor repeatedly get charge and discharge
causing the output to be less fluctuating

The higher the capacitance the lesser the ripple of the
output
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3.16.1 Smoothing – Capacitor Filter

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3.17 Basic Load Line Construction

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3.17 Basic Load Line Construction

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 Question 3

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3.18 Kirchhoff’s Laws

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 3.19 Semiconductor Diode Types

Diode (0.6-1.7 V) Zener diode Varicap (Voltage

controlled capacitor
at reverse biased)

Light-emitting diode Schottky diode

(0.15–0.45 V)
Silicon controlled
rectifier

Photodiode Tunnel diode (capable

of very fast operation)
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3.20 Power Supplies Basics

 In many applications, different devices need constant

DC supply that can provide a sufficient current
 Batteries are good solution for this as they give almost
stable/constant voltage. But batteries usually unable to
supply larger currents
 Selection of power supply depends on the required
voltage and current
 As an example your cell phone uses a battery which is
re-chargeable and you need a power supply unit that
can charge the battery

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 3.20 Power Supplies Basics

DC Power supplies

Transformer type power Switched mode power

supplies supplies
(will not be discussed here)

Unregulated Regulated

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3.21 Unregulated Power Supply

Transformer type unregulated DC power supply

Vin (ac)
Transformer Rectifier Filter circuit
(Usually step down) (using diodes) (using capacitors) Vout (dc)

 Usually the ac input is 230V in Sri Lanka. (commercial supply from the
national grid)
 Depending on the application the transformer has to be chosen. (230 to
12, 230 to 20 etc.)
 Capacitor filter reduce the ripple of the rectifier output. But still there are
fluctuations in the end output
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 3.21 Unregulated Power Supply

 This is called un-regulated because if there a sudden (momentary)

increase in the input supply (voltage spike in Vin) that will be
transferred to the output as well

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3.22 Regulated Power Supply

Vin (ac)
Transformer Rectifier Filter circuit Voltage
(Usually step down) (using diodes) (using capacitors) regulator
Vout (dc)

 Regulated power supplies use a voltage regulator in order to regulate

the output of the filter circuit. After being regulated, the fluctuation
that were there in the previous case, are removed and the output
would be a stable constant DC supply
 As because the output is regulated any voltage spike in the input
would not be transferred to the output as long as it is with in the
protective range of the voltage regulator

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3.22 Regulated Power Supply

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3.23 Voltage Regulators

 How is this voltage regulator realized?. The simplest form is

using a zener diode (a special type of diode). Other than the
zener regulator, ready made IC regulators are available in the
market. During this lecture we will study in detail about the
zener regulator.

Regulator ICs
7805  5V regulator
7809  9V regulator
7812  12V regulator

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3.24 Voltage Regulation Using Zener Diode

 Zener diode is a special diode used for regulating voltage.

 Recall the characteristic curve of a diode !

o Zener diode is a diode that is used in the

reverse break down region.
o When it is forward biased it acts as a
normal diode. (as an ON switch)
o Unlike a normal diode, zener diode is
manufactured in a way that it can operate
during the reverse breakdown region.
o Therefore zener diode is always used in
reverse bias condition.

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3.24 Voltage Regulation Using Zener Diode

 Circuit symbol for zener diodes is as follows.

 What is the special feature of the reverse breakdown region

that makes the zener diode suitable for voltage regulation?
o If you carefully inspect, you would realize that during the

reverse breakdown region the voltage across the diode

remains almost constant while the reverse current varies
over a large range.
 That is, zener diode can conduct different currents keeping the
same voltage across its terminals. (This doesn't obey the ohms
law !)

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 3.24 Voltage Regulation Using Zener Diode

This ability to maintain a constant voltage across its terminals

irrespective of the current, makes the zener diode suitable for
voltage regulation.

This constant voltage is called the zener voltage and denoted by
VZ

The current (reverse current) that can vary is called the zener
current and is denoted by IZ

Note that in order to use the zener diode as a voltage regulator
two things must be ensured.

It has to be reverse biased

It has to be driven in to the reverse breakdown region.

(that is the reverse current flowing through the zener diode
should be large enough to drive the diode in to the reverse
breakdown region.)
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3.24 Voltage Regulation Using Zener Diode

Therefore we say, in order to ensure the voltage regulation,

IZmin < IZ < IZmax

To make sure that the To make sure that the

zener diode enters to zener diode is not
the reverse destroyed
breakdown region
Where,
IZmin – minimum zener current needed for enter to the
reverse breakdown region
IZ – zener current flowing in any given instance
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 3.24 Voltage Regulation Using Zener Diode

Typical circuit for zener regulator is as follows.

Vin here is the fluctuating

DC voltage coming out
from the capacitor filter.
Irrespective of the input
fluctuations output
voltage Vout will be
regulated to the zener
voltage VZ

Lets analyze the above circuit and see how the
regulation is done
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Question 4

If R = 20Ω, VZ = 18V and Rload

= 200Ω and Vin varies from
20V to 30V.
Find,
1. Minimum and maximum
currents in the zener diode
2. Minimum and maximum
power dissipated in the
diode
3. The rated power
dissipation that the R
should have.
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 3.25 Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR)

 SCR is General Electric's trade name for a type of thyristor

 When the gate-to-cathode voltage exceeds a certain threshold,
the device turns "on" and conducts current
 Device remains "on" until current through the device is above the
holding current
 SCR are available with or without reverse blocking capability
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3.26 Triac

 Once triggered, the device continues to conduct until the current

through it drops below a certain threshold value, called holding
current
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 3.26 Triac

 unlike SCRs, which are unidirectional devices (i.e. can

conduct current only in one direction), TRIACs are
bidirectional and so current can flow through them in
either direction
 Another difference from SCRs is that TRIACs can be
triggered by either a positive or a negative current applied
to its gate electrode, whereas SCRs can be triggered only
by currents going into the gate
 In order to create a triggering current, a positive or
negative voltage has to be applied to the gate with
respect to the A1 terminal

BT134 Triac
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