3.

Diodes
Nonlinear circuits

Generation of dc voltages from the ac

power supply

The generation of signals of various

waveforms
The simplest and most fundamental nonlinear circuit element is
the diode

3.1 The Ideal Diode

3.1.1 Current-voltage characteristics
If a negative voltage is applied to the diode, no current flows and
the diode behaves as an open circuit.
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Diodes operated in this mode are said to be

reverse biased, or operated in the reverse
direction. An ideal diode has zero current when
operated in the reverse direction and is said to
be cut off, or simply off.
If a positive current is applied to the diode, is
applied to the ideal diode, zero voltage drop
appears across the diode.
The ideal diode behaves as a short circuit in the forward direction;
it passes any current with zero voltage drop. A forward-biased
diode is said to be turned on, or simply on.

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3.1.2 Applications
Rectifier

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Example 3.1 The circuit is for charging a 12-V battery. If Vs is a sinusoid

with 24V peak amplitude, find the fraction of each cycle during which the
diode conducts. Also, find the peak value of the diode current and the
maximum reverse-bias voltage that appears across the diode.

24 sin 1 = 12 1 = 30

3.1.2 Diode Logic Gates

= 90 30 = 60
conduction = 2 = 120
OR

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Exercise 3.4f

AND

Exercise 3.4e
Homework, Ans. I=4mA

D1 and D2 cant be on same, then V will have two value

D1 on and D2 off, not possible as V=1V which turns D2 on
D2 on and D1 off, then V=3V , D2 remains off, so possible,

I=

V (5)
1k

3 (5)
I=
= 8mA
1k
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V = 0V

V A = 0V

I1

D1

I2 =
D2

I2

10K

Example 3.2a

- 10V

I2 =

D1 on

D2 Off

D1 Off

D2 On

D1 On

D2 On

Lets assume D1 and D2 on

A
I

D2 Off

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+10V

5K

D1 Off

I1 =

VA (10)
= 1mA
10k

10 VA
= 2mA
5k

I1

I1 = I + I 2

I = 1mA

Lets assume D1 and D2 on

V A = 0V

10 VA
I1 =
= 1mA
10k

V = 0V

VA (10)
= 2mA
5k

I1 = I + I 2
I = 1mA

I2
Example 3.2b

Assumption wrong

Lets assume D1 off and D2 on

I1 = I 2 =

10 (10)
= 1.33mA I = VA (10) = 1.33mA
2
(10 + 5)k
5k
I = 0, V = VA = 3.35V

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VA = 3.35V

Assumption right
6

Problem 3.10b

Lets assume Diode is off

V A = 10

10k
= 5V
(10 + 10)k

VB = 15

10k
= 7.5V
(10 + 10)k

As VA<VB, assumption is true

A

So V=VB-VA=2.5V, I=0A
Lets assume Diode is off
VA = 15

10k
= 7.5V
(10 + 10)k

VB = 10

10k
= 5V
(10 + 10)k

As VA>VB, assumption is wrong

So the diode is on, V=0V
V A 15 V A VA 10 VA
+
+
+
=0
10k
10k
10k
10k

Problem 3.10a

V A 15 V A
+
+I =0
10k
10k
I = 0.25mA

V A = 6.25V

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3.2 Terminal Characteristics of Junction Diode

I

Forward bias region V>0

Reverse bias region V<0
Breakdown region V<-VZK

3.2.1 Forward bias region

i = I s (e v / nVT 1)
i I s (e
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Is = saturation current
VT= thermal voltage=kT/q
k= Boltzmanns constant
n is a constant, between 1 to 2
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i I s e v / nVT

v = n VT ln

i2
i1

v2 v1 = n VT ln

i
Is

v1 = n VT ln

i1
Is

v2 = n VT ln

v2 v1 = 2.3n VT log

i2
Is

i2
i1

Exercise 3.6 Consider a silicon diode with n=1.5. Find the change in voltage
if the current changes from 0.1mA to 10mA.
172.5mV
Exercise 3.7 Consider a silicon diode with n=1 has v=0.7V at i=1mA. Find
the voltage drop at i = 0.1mA and i = 10mA.
0.64V, 0.76V

Exercise 3.8 Using the fact that a silicon diode has Is=10-14A at 25C and
that Is increases by 15% per C rise in temperature, find the value of Is at
125C.
Is,26oC= Is,25o(1+0.15)
Is,28oC= Is,27o(1+0.15)

Is,27oC= Is,26o(1+0.15)

Is,27oC= Is,25o(1+0.15)2

Is,28oC= Is,25o(1+0.15)3

Is,125oC= Is,25o(1+0.15)(125-25)
1.17x10-8 A

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3.2.2 The Reverse-Bias Region

i = I s (e v / nVT 1)
i Is
3.3.3 Breakdown Region
In the breakdown region the reverse current increases rapidly,
with the associated increase in voltage drop being very small
Diode breakdown is normally not destructive provided that the
power dissipated in the diode is limited by external circuitry to a
"safe" level. It therefore is necessary to limit the reverse current
in the breakdown region to a value consis-tent with the
permissible power dissipation.
The fact that the diode i-v characteristic in breakdown is almost a
vertical line enables it to be used in voltage regulation
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10