Diode Applications

(ENG-201)
Dr. Hamdy Abd Elhamid
habdelhamid@zewailcity.edu.eg

Outline
1- Rectifiers:
- Half-Wave,
- Full Wave,
- Bridge .
2- Signal Clipping
- Positive Clipping
- Negative Clipping
3- Clamper
- Positive Clamper
- Negative Clamper

4- Voltage regulators

Block diagram of a rectifier and a dc power supply with a load.

Half-wave rectifier operation. The diode is considered to be ideal.

The effect of the barrier potential on the half-wave rectified output

voltage is to reduce the peak value of the input by about 0.7 V.

Vi(t)
Vp
VD

-VP
Vo(t)
Vp - VD
0

Average value of the half-wave rectified signal.

VDC

1 T
V dt

0
T
1
Vp sin d

0
2

VP
cos
2
0
VP

0 d

Root Mean Square (RMS) Value

Vrms

1 T 2
V dt
T 0
1
2
Vp sin2 d

2 0
2

VP
1

sin
2

0
4
2

VP
4

VP
2

sin d
2

VP
2

0 d

1 cos 2 d
2

VO

Vp

t0

t1

t2

t3

Vrms
VDC

The PIV occurs at the peak of each half-cycle of the input voltage when the diode is
reverse-biased. In this circuit, the PIV occurs at the peak of each negative half-cycle.

Half-wave rectifier with transformer-coupled input voltage.

Full-wave rectification.

A center-tapped full-wave rectifier.

Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier

A center-tapped full-wave rectifier.

Basic operation of a center-tapped full-wave rectifier. Note that the current through the
load resistor is in the same direction during the entire input cycle, so the output voltage
always has the same polarity.

Average Value

VDC

1 T
V dt

0
T
1
Vp sin d

VP
cos

0
2 VP

RMS Value

Vrms

1 T 2

V dt

0
T
1 2
2

V
sin
d
p

VP

1 cos 2 d
2

VP
1

sin 2

2
2
0
VP

Center-tapped full-wave rectifier with a transformer turns ratio of 1. Vp(pri) is the peak value of the primary
voltage.

Center-tapped full-wave rectifier with a transformer turns ratio of 2.

Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier

Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier

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Bridge operation during a positive half-cycle of the primary and secondary voltages.

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Vi(t)
Vp

-VP

Vo(t)

DC Value =???

Vp - VD

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Peak inverse voltages across diodes D3 and D4 in a bridge rectifier during

the positive half-cycle of the secondary voltage.

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Power supply filtering.

Download datasheet

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Operation of a half-wave rectifier with a capacitor-input filter. The current

indicates charging or discharging of the capacitor.

Vr(pp)=

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Half-wave ripple voltage (green line).

Vr(pp)=

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Vr and VDC determine the ripple factor.

Vr( pp )
1
rfwr

VDC
4 3 fRL C

Vr( pp )
1
rhwr

VDC
2 3 fRL C
Vp(rect) : unfiltered peak rectified voltage

Vr(pp) : peak to peak ripple voltage

VDC

voltage
: average value of ripple

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Effects of RL and C

C=1000F

R=1500

C=470F

R=1000
C=100F

R=500

(a) RL fixed

(b) C fixed

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Type of
Rectifier

PIV

Half Wave

Peak value of the input secondary voltage, Vs

(peak)

Full Wave :
CenterTapped
Full Wave:
Bridge

2Vsecondary(peak) - V

Vsecondary(peak)- V

Diode Limiters (Clipper)

Clippers are networks that employ diodes to clip
away a of an input signal without distorting the
remaining part of the applied waveform.

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Diode Limiters (Clipper)

RL
Vout
Vin
R1 RL

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Example

What would you expect to see displayed on an oscilloscope connected across RL in the
limiter shown in above figure.
RL
1.0k
Vout
Vin
10V 9.09V
R1 RL
1.1k

Assume approximate diode is used, Vd = 0.7 V

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Biased Limiters (Clippers)

A positive limiter

A negative limiter

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Modified Biased Limiters (Clippers)

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Summary
Limiters
(Clippers)

In this examples
VD = 0
In analysis, VD = 0
or VD = 0.7 V can
be used. Both are
right assumption.

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Diode Clampers
Positive clamper operation.

Negative clamper operation

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Diode Clamper (Square wave)

Diode Clamper

Diode ON state
V Vc = 0 ; Vc = V; Vo = 0.7 V but
ideal Vo = 0V

Diode OF state
-V - Vc - Vo = 0; Vc = V
Vo = -2 V32

Output

Summary of Clamper Circuits

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Voltage Multipliers

Voltage multiplier circuits use a combination of diodes and capacitors

to step up the output voltage of rectifier circuits.

Voltage Doubler
Voltage Tripler

Voltage Quadrupler

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Voltage Doubler

Positive Half-Cycle
o D1 conducts
o D2 is switched off
o Capacitor C1 charges to Vm

Negative Half-Cycle
o D1 is switched off
o D2 conducts
o Capacitor C2 charges to Vm

Vout = VC2 = 2Vm

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Zener Diodes
The zener diode silicon pn-junction device-designed for operate in
the reverse-biased region

Zener diode symbol

Schematic diagram shown that this particular zener
circuit will work to maintain 10 V across the load

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Zener Diodes

Breakdown voltage set by controlling the doping level during manufacture

When diode reached reverse breakdown voltage remains constant- current change
drastically
If zener diode is FB operates the same as a rectifier diode
A zener diode is much like a normal diode but if it is placed in the circuit in reverse
bias and operates in reverse breakdown.
Note that its forward characteristics are just like a normal diode.

1.8V 200V

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Zener Diodes

The reverse voltage (VR) is increased the reverse current (IR) remains extremely
small up to the kneeof the curve
Reverse current called the zener current, IZ
At the bottom of the knee- the zener breakdown voltage (VZ) remains constant
although it increase slightly as the zener current, IZ increase.
IZK min. current required to maintain voltage regulation
IZM max. amount of current the diode can handle without being damage/destroyed
IZT the current level at which the VZ rating of diode is measured (specified on a
data sheet)
The zener diode maintains a constant voltage for value of reverse current rating
from IZK to IZM

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Zener Diodes
(Zener Equivalent Circuit)

Since the actual voltage is not ideally vertical, the change in zener current
produces a small change in zener voltage V
Z
By ohms law:

VZ
ZZ
I Z

Zener impedance

Normaly -Zz is specified at IZT

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I Z

Zener Diodes Applications

Zener diode can be used as

1. Voltage regulator for providing stable reference

voltages
2. Simple limiters or clippers

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Zener Regulation with a Variable Load

The zener diode maintains a nearly constant voltage across RL as long as the zener
current is greater than IZK and less than IZM

When the o/p terminal of the zener diode is open (RL=)-load current is zero and all of
the current is through the zener
When a load resistor (R) is connected, current flow through zener & load RL, IL, IZ
The zener diode continues to regulate the voltage until IZ reaches its min value , IZK
At this point, the load current is max. , the total current through R remains
essentially constant.
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Example . Fig. (x) shows the zener regulator. Calculate (i) current through the series
resistance (ii) minimum and maximum load currents and (iii) minimum and maximum
zener currents. Comment on the results.
Solution.

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10/26/2015

Example . A zener regulator has VZ = 15V. The input voltage may vary from 22 V to 40 V
and load current from 20 mA to 100 mA. To hold load voltage constant under all
conditions, what should be the value of series resistance ?
Solution. In order that zener regulator may hold output voltage constant under all
operating conditions, it must operate in the breakdown region. In other words,
there must be zener current for all input voltages and load currents. The worst
case occurs when the input voltage is minimum and load current is maximum
because then zener current drops to a minimum.

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10/26/2015

Zener Limiting
Zener diode also can be used in ac applications to limit voltage swings to desired level
a) To limit the +ve peak of a signal voltage to the selected zener voltage
- During ve alternation, zener arts as FB diode & limits the ve voltage to -0.7V
b) Zener diode is turn around
-The ve peak is by zener action & +ve voltage is limited to +0.7V
c) Two back-to-back zeners limit both peaks to the zener voltage 7V
-During the +ve alternation, D2 is functioning as the zener limiter D1 is functioning
as a FB diode.
-During the ve alternation-the roles are reversed

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