Half-Wave Rectifiers

Important Points of This Lecture

Calculation of output voltage using
appropriate piecewise models for diode for
simple (unfiltered) half-wave rectifier
Differences between calculations using
piecewise models and ideal diode equation
and PSpice simulation results
Diode selection criteria
Filtered half-wave rectifier
Ripple voltage
AC to DC Conversion
AC to DC conversion (ADC)
Used to change 120V 60Hz to direct current
Charging batteries in laptops, ipods, cell phones, etc.
Used to supply logic levels in desktop computers

The need for ADC
A number of electronic devices operate under forward bias
or zero bias and can only withstand very small reverse bias
conductions without sustaining permanent damage.
Example: LEDs and semiconductor lasers
Circuits may be designed such that only positive d.c.
voltages are used.
Example: Digital logic circuits

Design Criteria
Conversion efficiency
Average DC power delivered to load compared to
the available AC power
Maximum voltage and current rating of the
load
Ripple voltage (V
r
)
Maximum range of fluctuations of the DC
voltage


Three types of rectifiers
Half wave rectifier
Full wave rectifying bridge
Full wave rectifier
Components
All rectifiers use one or more diodes
A transformer may be used in the half-wave
rectifier and full-wave rectifying bridge; must
be used in a full-wave rectifier circuit
Half-Wave Rectifier
Approach to Solution
Assume that the frequency of the AC power supply is
low in comparison to the frequency response of the
diode circuit
I.e., the parasitic capacitance and inductance of the diode
and the resistor do not affect the magnitude or phase of
the output voltage
This allows us
to use the DC models for the diode
to replace the AC power supply with a variable DC power
supply
To calculate the output voltage for specific set of input
voltages and interpolate the value of output voltage in
between.
What do you need to know?
AC power supply
Minimum and maximum voltages

Diode
Turn-on voltage, V

Breakdown voltage, V
BR
or the Zener voltage at a
particular reverse bias current and Zener
resistance, V
Z
and R
Z
Solution
Three to four calculations
1. When the diode is at its maximum forward bias
condition
2. When the diode voltage is equal to its turn-on
voltage, but the diode current is zero
3. When the diode is at its maximum reverse bias
condition
4. When the diode is just entering breakdown
NOTE: This is not a desired condition for the half-wave
rectifier, but may accidently occur if an incorrect diode is
selected for the AC power supply connected to the circuit.
Example
Decisions on Diode Models
Since the maximum voltage is +10V, there is
probably is enough voltage available to turn the
diode on. So, the ON model for the diode will
likely be used.
Since the minimum voltage is -10V which is much
less than -V
Z
, we do not need to use the
BREAKDOWN model.
As the voltage of the AC power supply can be
negative, it is likely that the OFF model for the
diode will be used.
Calculation 1:
The magnitude of the AC voltage is at its maximum
V I V
mA I
I V V
D o
D
D
3 . 9 200
5 . 46
0 200 7 . 0 10
= O =
=
= O + +
Calculation 2:
The magnitude of the AC voltage just turns on the diode
V I V
V V
mA I
I V V
D o
dc
D
D dc
0 200
7 . 0
0
0 200 7 . 0
= O =
=
=
= O + +
Calculation 3:
The magnitude of the AC voltage is at its minimum

V I V
V V
mA I
I V V
D o
D
D
D D
0 200
10
0
0 200 10
= O =
=
=
= O + +
Output Voltage as a Function of Time
Since the input voltage was actually an AC
power supply, the output voltage must vary
with time.
The maximum output voltage is 9.3V.
The output voltage is 0V when the input voltage is
0.7V.
The minimum output voltage is 0V.
V
o
vs. Time
Voltage Transfer Characteristic
V

=

If one used the Ideal Diode equation to
determine V
o
There will be a nonlinear dependence between the
power supply voltage and the output voltage
because of the nonlinear dependence of ID with VD
when the diode is forward biased.
There will be a voltage drop when the diode is
reverse biased because of the reverse saturation
current.
|
|
.
|

\
|
= 1
nkT
qV
o D
D
e I I
PSpice
Simple diode model uses the Ideal Diode
equation.
The models based on real diode parts are
more complex, incorporating parasitic
resistances, capacitances, and temperature
dependences
Hence, your hand calculations are not going to
match the answers obtained when simulating the
circuit using Pspice. However, they should be
roughly the same.
Voltage Transfer Characteristic
Frequency Response
Though the output voltage is plotted incorrectly in Pspice, there
is a maximum frequency of operation at which the diode no
longer operates via any of the models we have discussed thus far.
Output voltage when input power
supply is operating at 1GHz
Criteria for Diode Selection
For maximum power to the load while the
diode is conducting, the diode should have a
small turn-on voltage.


For the minimum power loss while the diode
is off, the reverse saturation current should be
low.


|
|
.
|

\
|
=
2
ln
i
a d
bi
n
N N
q
kT
V
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
d
i
p
p
a
i
n
n
o
N
n
L
D
N
n
L
D
qA I
2 2
Last Criteria
The breakdown voltage must be greater than
the magnitude of the larger reverse bias
applied to the diode.
V
BR
is inversely proportional to the doping level of
the most lightly doped side of the p-n junction
The maximum reverse bias voltage is called the peak
inverse voltage (PIV).

Alternative Circuit:
Half-Wave Rectifier
Smoothing the output voltage
Example
Transformer steps down the input voltage to
+/- 12V
Diode used is a D1N4002
1kO resistor
10F capacitor
V
r
T
T
p
V
M
V
L
V
P
-V
P
Wait that statement about the diode selection
criteria needs to be modified for this circuit!
Lets assume that the capacitor doesnt have a chance to
discharge before the voltage of the input power supply is at
its minimum value.
The diode is reverse biased at twice the magnitude of the peak
input voltage
So, the criteria on the breakdown voltage is even more severe
Now, assume that the reverse saturation current is large.
This current will help speed the discharge rate of the capacitor,
causing the ripple voltage to be larger than expected.
So, the criteria on the reverse breakdown voltage is still important.
However, it can be ignored if the reverse saturation current is less
than 10% of the minimum current through the load resistor while the
capacitor is discharging.
Ripple Voltage
If you assume that the diode turns off (becomes
an open) as soon as the input voltage begins to
drop from its maximum value
Then the output voltage is the voltage across the
capacitor (10F) as it discharges through the resistor
(1kO)
Until the input voltage equals the output voltage
plus the turn-on voltage of the diode
When the diode turns on and the capacitor begins to
be recharged.

Ripple Voltage
fRC
V
V
f
T
RC
T
V V T T
RC
T
V V
e V V V V
M
r
p
p
M r p
M r
RC T
M L M r
~
=
~ ~
~
~ =

1
then , if
) 1 (
'
'
'
Power Conversion Efficiency
. decreasing linearly be to assumed can capacitor the
across drop voltage the and T T' that assume you if
rectifier wave - half filtered a for
2
1
2
) (
rectifier wave - half a for
2
1
2
2
2
=
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.
|

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|

=
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.
|

\
|
+
~
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.
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\
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=
P
r M
P
L M
P
M
V
V V
V
V V
V
V
q
q
Things to Know From This Lecture
Optimal diode is a lightly doped p-n junction
For a properly designed circuit, ON and OFF piecewise
models are used
Reverse saturation current of a lightly doped p-n junction
is not ideal for this application
Three calculations are needed to map the output
voltage using piecewise model
Max. input voltage, minimum input voltage, and input
voltage at which the diode model switches between ON
and OFF
Output voltage when diode is on varies linearly with input
voltage: V
o
= V
in
V
A transformer is used to step down (or up) the input
voltage as needed for the application.
Results using Ideal Diode Equation
Current does flow whenever V
in
is not equal to zero
V
o
does not vary linearly with V
in
Pspice Simulation
Uses a more complex model based on the Ideal Diode
Equation
Inclusion of parasitic capacitances means there is a
frequency dependence to the circuit operation
Not shown was the temperature dependence of the
operation (but you can do this at home).
Not all of the answers obtained from the simulation are
correct.
First cycle in transient response is different because initial charge
on capacitors (external and parasitic) was zero.

Filtered half-wave rectifier results in a better
dc output voltage
Ripple voltage is a function of the maximum
voltage on the capacitor, the frequency of the
input voltage, and the RC time constant of the
load.
Better power conversion than simple half-wave
rectifier circuit
Significantly increases the maximum reverse bias
voltage on the diode
Reverse saturation current of the diode may
influence ripple voltage