8/22/2005 Example A Junction Diode Circuit.

doc 1/3

Example: A Junction
Diode Circuit
Consider the following circuit with two junction diodes:
 vD 1 

iD 1 iD 2
 
+
VS 100  vR vD 2
-
 
6.5 mA

The diodes are identical, with n = 1 and IS = 10-14 A.

Q: If the current through the resistor is 6.5 mA, what is the

voltage of source VS ??

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/22/2005 Example A Junction Diode Circuit.doc 2/3

 vD 1 

iD 1 iD 2
 
+
VS 100  vR vD 2
-
 
6.5 mA

1) If 6.5 mA flows through a 0.1 K resistor, the voltage

across that resistor is:

vR  0.1 6.5  0.65V

2)If the voltage across the resistor is 0.65 V, then the voltage
across the diode D2 , which is parallel to the resistor, is the
same value:
vD 2  vR  0.65V

3)If we know the voltage across a p-n junction diode, then we

also know its current !

vD 2 0.650
iD 2  IS exp  10 14 exp  1.96 mA
nVT 0.025

4) If we know iD2 and the current through the resistor, we

know (using KCL) the current through D1 :

iD1  6.5  iD2

 6.5 1.96
 8.46mA

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/22/2005 Example A Junction Diode Circuit.doc 3/3

 vD 1 

iD 1 8.46mA iD2  1.96mA

 
+
VS 100  vR  0.65V vD 2 0.65V
-
 
6.5 mA

5) If we know the current through a junction diode, then we

can find the voltage across it:

iD 1 0.00846
vD 1  nVT ln  0.025 ln  0.69V
IS 10 14

6) Finally, if we know vD1 and vD2, we can find VS using KVL:

VS  vD1 vD 2  0.69  0.65  1.34V

 v  0.69V 
D1

iD 1  8.46mA iD 2  1.96mA
 
+ 100 
vR  0.65V vD 2  0.65V
-
VS=1.34V  
6.5 mA

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/30/2005 Example Junction Diode Models empty.doc 1/7

Example: Junction
Diode Models
Consider the junction diode circuit, where the junction diode
has device parameters IS = 10-12 A, and n =1:

+5 V
I numerically solved the resulting
 transcendental equation, and
iD vD determined the exact solution:

iD  87.40 mA

50  vD  0.630 V

Now, let’s determine approximate values using diode models !

First, let’s try the ideal diode model.

+5 V +5 V

 
iD vD iDi vDi
 

50  50 

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/30/2005 Example Junction Diode Models empty.doc 2/7

+5 V Assume IDEAL diode is “on”.


iDi Enforce v Di  0 .
v 0i
D

Analyze the IDEAL diode circuit.
From KVL:
50 

We therefore can approximate the junction diode current as

the current through the ideal diode model:

iD  iDi = 100 mA

And approximate the junction diode voltage as the voltage

across the ideal diode model:

vD  vDi = 0

Compare these approximations to the exact solutions:

iD  87.4 mA and vD  0.630 V Close, but we can

do better! Let’s use the 'Modified diode model’.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/30/2005 Example Junction Diode Models empty.doc 3/7

+5 V +5 V

 
iD vD iDi vDi
 

0.7 V
50  

50 

+5 V
Assume IDEAL diode is “on”.

Enforce vDi  0 .
i
i
D
v i
D
=0

 Analyze the IDEAL diode circuit.
0.7 V From KVL:


50 

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/30/2005 Example Junction Diode Models empty.doc 4/7

We therefore can approximate the junction diode current as

the current through the 'Modified diode model model:

iD  iDi  86.0 mA

And approximate the junction diode voltage as the voltage

across the 'Modified diode model model:
vD vDi  0.7
 0.0  0.7
 0.7 V

Compare these approximations to the exact solutions:

iD = 87.4 mA and vD  0.630 V

8/30/2005 Example Small Signal Analysis.doc 1/6

Example: Diode Small-

Signal Analysis
Consider the circuit:

1K

vs (t) n=1
2K iD(t) = ID + id (t)
VS = 5V n=1

Q: If vs (t)= 0.01 sint, what is id (t) ?

A: Follow the small-signal analysis steps!

Step 1: Complete a D.C. Analysis

Turn off the small-signal source and replace the junction diodes
with the ‘modified diode model' model.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/30/2005 Example Small Signal Analysis.doc 2/6

1K

IDi

2K 0.7 V
VS = 5V

0.7 V

Assume the ideal diodes are “on”, enforce with short circuits.
I1 1K

+ VR1 -
IDi
+
2K VR2 0.7 V
-
VS = 5V
I2
0.7 V

Now analyze the D.C. circuit:

From KVL VR 2  0.7  0.7  1.4 V

VR2
 I2   0.7mA
2

From KVL: VR1  5.0 VR 2  5.0  1.4  3.6 V

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/30/2005 Example Small Signal Analysis.doc 3/6

V
Thus from Ohm’s Law: I1  R 1  3.6 mA
1

IDi  I1  I2
And finally from KCL:  3.6 0.7
 2.9 mA

Now checking our result:

IDi  2.9 mA  0

Therefore our estimate of the D.C. diode current is:

ID  IDi  2.9 mA

Step 2: Calculate the diode small-signal resistance rd:

nV 0.025
rD  T   8.6
ID 0.0029

Note since the junction diodes are identical, and since each has
the same current ID =2.9 mA flowing through it, the small-signal
resistance of each junction diode is the same (rD=8.6

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/30/2005 Example Small Signal Analysis.doc 4/6

Step 3: Replace junction diodes with small-signal model

1K

+ VR1 -
vs (t) +
VD0
2K VR2
- 8.6

VS = 5V VD0
8.6

Step 4: Determine the small-signal circuit.

This means turn off the 5V source and the VD0 sources in the
‘modified diode model' !

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

 8/30/2005 Example Small Signal Analysis.doc 5/6

After turning off all DC sources, we are left with our small-
signal circuit:

id

is 1K
+
8.6 vd
2K
vs (t) _

+
8.6 vd
_

Step 5: Analyze the small-signal circuit.

Combining the parallel resistors, we get:

is 1K

2K (8.6  8.6)  16.9 

vs (t)

Therefore is is:

vs t 
is t  
1.0  0.0169

…

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/30/2005 Example Small Signal Analysis.doc 6/6

We can now find id using current division:

id

is 1K
+
8.6 vd
2K
vs (t) _

+
8.6 vd
_