UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF

ENGINEERING
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Bachelor of Engineering (ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING)
ANALOG ELECTRONICS
Subject Code:ELT-201
Rekha Devi(E8517)

Basic of P-N Junction DIODE DISCOVER . LEARN . EMPOWER

DIODE CIRCUITS

•Contents
• Diode models
• Typical diode circuits & applications
• Load line concepts for nonlinear load ana-
lysis

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SYLLABUS

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SYLLABUS

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Learning Material

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 What is a diode?

 Diode
• The diode is the simplest and most fundamental non-linear circuit element
• Like a resistor, it has two terminals
• Unlike a resistor, it has a non-linear current- voltage characteristics.
• Its use in rectifiers is the most common application.

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Formation of Diode

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Depletion Region

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 Biasing of a Diode
Diode is an electric device which allow current to flow
only in one direction.
• The voltage applied to the semi conductor diode is
referred to as bias voltage.
There are two types of bias voltage:
1. Forward biased
2. 2. Reversed biased P N

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Biasing of a Diode

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 Forward Biased
• +ve terminal of battery connected with
p-type
• -ve terminal of battery connected
with n-type.
• Maximum current flow through the
diode during forward biasing.
• The D.R is small in forward biased p-
n junction

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Working under Forward Biased

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 Reversed biased
• +ve terminal of battery connected with
n-type
• -ve terminal of battery connected with
p-type.
• Extremely small current flow through
the diode during reverse biasing.
• The D.R is large in forward biased p-n
junction
• Zener & Avalanche break down occurs
in it

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Working under Reverse Biased

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V - I Characteristics of a Diode

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Working of Diode

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 IDEAL CHARACTERISTIC

Bias conditions
• Forward bias : Vd > 0 — current
can flow and Id > 0.
• Reverse bias : Vd < 0 — current
cannot flow and Id = 0.

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 REAL CHARACTERISTIC

Take a closer look at the characteristic

around the turning point.
The i-v characteristic is an exponential
function.

Also, the diode can only stand the

negative voltage up to a certain
threshold VBD , beyond which the diode
conducts reverse current (breakdown).

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REAL CHARACTERISTIC

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 Types of diode
1. P-n junction
diode
2. LED diode
3. Photo diode
4. Zener diode

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 Types of diode
1. A diode (one way valve) is a PN junction with p-type on one side and n-type on the
other. When a positive voltage is applied to the p-type side (forward bias), it shrinks and
overcomes the depletion zone, causing the current to flow from the p-type to the n-type
side.
2. A light-emitting diode (LED) are made of two-lead semiconductor light source.
(Gallium arsenide ,Gallium arsenide phosphide) It is a p–n junction diode, which emits
light when activate.
3. A photodiode is a semiconductor device that converts light into current. A small
amount of current is also produced when no light is present.
4. A Zener diode is a diode which allows current to flow in the forward direction in the
same manner as an ideal diode, but also permits it to flow in the reverse direction when
the voltage is above a certain value known as the breakdown voltage

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 Application of diode circuit

 Rectifier circuit
 Half-wave rectifier
 Full-wave rectifier
 Bridge rectifier
 Clippers

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 Rectifier
• A rectifier is an device which converts
alternative current into direct current and this
process is called rectification.
 Half wave rectifier:
It is the simplest type of rectifier, which is made
with just one diode.
i. When the voltage of the alternating current
is positive, the diode becomes forward-
biased and current flows through it.
ii. ii. When the voltage is negative, the diode
is reverse-biased and the current stops.

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 Full wave rectifier
This rectifier is essentially made of two half-wave rectifiers, and can be
made with two diodes.
i. When the voltage of the alternating current is positive, one of the
diodes become forward biased whereas the other gets reverse biased.
Hence, current flows through the forward biased diode.
ii. When the voltage of the alternating current is negative, the previous
reverse biased diode becomes forward biased whereas the other gets
reverse biased. Hence, current flows through the forward biased diode.
iii. Thus, current flows at least through one of the diodes at a time.

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Full wave rectifier

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 Bridge rectifier
Definition: A bridge rectifier is an arrangement of four or more
diodes in a bridge circuit configuration which provides the same
output polarity for either input polarity. It is used for converting an
alternating current (AC) input into a direct current (DC) output.
i. The main advantage of this bridge circuit is that it does not
require a special centre tapped transformer, thereby reducing its
size and cost.
ii. The single secondary winding is connected to one side of the
diode bridge network and the load to the other side as shown
below.
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Bridge rectifier

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 Clipper circuits
Clipper Circuits are used to clip off a portion of
wave from an input signal
• It is used in two ways – series and parallel.
• Clamper Circuits clamp a signal to different
dc level.
• Along with diodes, capacitors and resistors are
also used.

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Clipper Circuits

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 Series Clipper Circuit
• First introduced as a half-wave rectifier for sinusoidal waveforms.
• However, there are no boundaries on the type of signals that can
be applied to a clipper.
• In Series Positive Clipper, the diode is connected in series with
the output in Forward Biasing.
• In Series Negative Clipper, the diode is connected in series with
the output in Reverse Biasing.
• In Series Bias Clipper, a battery is connected with resistance

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Series Positive Clipper

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Series negative Clipper

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Biased Clipper Circuits

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 Clampers Circuits
 Circuits that shift the waveform of
the input signal either all above or
below the reference voltage

 Add or restore a DC level to an

electrical signal

 Also known as DC restorer

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 Clampers Circuits
 Clamping circuit is often used in television
receivers as dc restorer. Incoming composite video
signal is normally processed through capacitively
coupled amplifiers that eliminate the dc
component losing the reference levels which must
be restored using clamping circuits before
applying to the picture tube.

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Clampers Circuits

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 REFERENCES

1.Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky, “Electronic Devices and Circuit

Theory” 10 edition.
2.J.B.Gupta” Electronic Devices and Circuits“ Paperback – 2013.
3.http://www.marktechopto.com/
4.http://acept.la.asu.edu/courses/phs110/expmts/exp13a.html
5.http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/components/led.htm
6.http://www.fiber-optics.info/articles/LEDs.htm
7.http://www.theledlight.com/technical1.html
8.http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electronic/leds.html
9.www.kpsec.freeuk.com/components/led.htm
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