Introduction to

Electronics

An introduction to electronic components and a study of circuits

containing such devices.

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Week 5:
Diodes Part 2

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

 Introduction to
Electronics
Dr. Allen Robinson
Academic Professional
School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

An introduction to electronic components and a study of circuits

containing such devices.

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

 Half-Wave
Rectifiers
Dr. Allen Robinson
Academic Professional
School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

Introduce diode half-wave rectifiers

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Lesson Objectives

Introduce half-wave rectifiers

Examine their behavior for sinusoidal inputs
Analyze a diode rectifier circuit

3
Rectifier

A non-linear device that modifies an input voltage such

that the output voltage is greater than or less than a
threshold value

4
Sinusoidal Input Voltages Voltage

0
Voltage

Input Half-Wave Output

0 Rectifier Voltage

5
Half-Wave Rectifier

Positive Half-Wave Rectifier

If Input > Threshold

Output = Input
Input Output
If Input Threshold
Output = Threshold

6
 Diode Rectifier Circuit R
+
Vin
positive Vin Vout
R
+ -
Vin Ideal Vout R
Diode +
- Vin
Vin Vout
negative
-

7
Vout Equations
R
+
Vin
Vin Vout
positive
-
R
+
Vin Vin Vout
negative
-
8
Positive Half-Wave Rectifier

Vin Vout

Vin Vin > 0

Vout =
0 Vin 0

9
Non-Ideal Diode
How does a non-ideal diode change the behavior of
the circuit?
Include the forward voltage drop Vf by modeling the
diode as an ideal diode in series with a voltage
source

Vf Ideal
diode

10
 Non-Ideal Diode Circuit R
+
R Vin > -Vf Vin Vout
+ Vf
Ideal -
Vin Diode
Vout R
Vf +
- Vin < -Vf Vout
Vin Vf
-

11
Measured Output Vin and Vout

Vin Vin > -Vf

Vout =
-Vf Vin -Vf

12
Other Possible Circuits
Four different rectifiers can be constructed using a
resistor and a diode.

+
1 Vout
Vin 2
-

13
Other Possible Circuits

Can you determine the equation

for Vout in terms of Vin for each of
the possible circuits assuming
both ideal and non-ideal diodes?
How does the output of each
circuit change if it is taken across
element 1 rather than element 2?

14
Summary

Rectification
Half-Wave Rectifiers

15
 Full-Wave
Rectifiers
Dr. Allen Robinson
Academic Professional
School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

Introduce diode full-wave rectifiers

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Lesson Objectives

Introduce full-wave rectifiers

Examine their behavior for sinusoidal inputs
Analyze diode full-wave rectifier circuit

17
Rectifier

A non-linear device that modifies an input voltage such

that the output voltage is greater than or less than a
threshold value

18
Sinusoidal Input Voltages
Voltage

Voltage 0

Input Full-Wave Output

0 Rectifier Voltage

19
Full-Wave Rectifier

Positive Full-Wave Rectifier

If Input 0
Output = Input
Input Output
If Input < 0
Output = -1*Input

20
 Full-Wave Rectifier Circuit
+
Vin
positive Vin R Vout
D4 D1
-
R
Vin
-
Vout + -
D2 Vin R
D3 Vin Vout
negative
+
Ideal Diodes

21
Vout Equation
A full-wave rectifier is also known as an absolute
value circuit
D1 and D2 on
D3 and D4 off
Vin Vin 0
Vout =
-Vin Vin < 0
D1 and D2 off
D3 and D4 on

Vout = |Vin|

22
Non-Ideal Diode
How does a non-ideal diode change the behavior of
the circuit?
Include the forward voltage drop Vf by modeling the
diode as an ideal diode in series with a voltage
source

Vf Ideal
diode

23
 Non-Ideal Diode Circuit
Vf due
to D1
D4 D1 D1 and D2 on
R D3 and D4 off R
Vin Vin
-
Vout + Vf due - V +
out
D2 to D2
D3

24
 Circuit for D1 and D2 On

+
Vin R Vout
-
Vf due Vf due
to D2 to D1

Vin > 2Vf

25
 Circuit for D3 and D4 On

-
Vin R Vout
+
Vf due Vf due
to D3 to D4

Vin < -2Vf

26
 Vout Equation

Vin - 2Vf Vin > 2Vf

Vout = -Vin - 2Vf Vin < -2Vf

0 Otherwise

27
Other Possible Configurations
How does the output voltage change if the directions
of all diodes are reversed?
How does the output voltage change if the direction of
any one diode is reversed?

28
Summary

Full-Wave Rectifiers

29
 Voltage Transfer
Characteristics
Dr. Allen Robinson
Academic Professional
School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

Introduce voltage transfer characteristics

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Lesson Objectives

Introduce voltage transfer

characteristics (VTCs)
Use VTC to determine output for
given input
Determine VTC from given input
and output plots

31
Voltage Transfer Characteristic (VTC)
A graphical description of the behavior of a nonlinear circuit
A plot of output voltage versus input voltage

Positive Half-Wave Rectifier slope = 1

Vout

Vin Vin > 0

Vout =
Vin
0 Vin 0

32
Example VTC Positive Full-Wave Rectifier
Vout
Vin Vout

Vin

33
VTC from Input and Output Waveforms

34
Designing with a VTC

35
Summary

Voltage transfer characteristics

are plots of output voltage
versus input voltage
VTCs quickly indicate a circuits
behavior

36
 AC to DC
Conversion
Dr. Allen Robinson
Academic Professional
School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

Introduce ac to dc conversion

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Lesson Objectives

Introduce ac to dc conversion
Examine circuits that perform
this conversion

38
AC to DC Conversion

AC used in power
transmission
DC used to power electronics
Diode rectifiers are used in
converting an alternating
current to a direct current

39
Sinusoidal Input Voltage

Voltage varying Voltage constant

with time with time
AC to DC
AC Input Converter DC Output

(DC Power Supply)

40
 DC Power Supply Components

AC Source DC Output
(Often 60Hz Transformer Rectifier Low-Pass Filter
120VAC)

Steps voltage Introduces DC Reduces AC component

up or down component To smooth output

41
Bipolar DC Power Supply Schematic

42
Example DC Power Supplies

43
Example DC Power Supplies

44
 Rectifier with Filter Capacitor

D4 D1
C

R
Vin
-
Vout +
D2
D3

45
Circuit Voltages

46
Varying Capacitor Values
= RC

Larger time
constant =
slower
discharge
Smaller time
constant =
faster
discharge

47
Output Voltage Level

For a sine wave: Vpeak = Vrms* 2

Two diode voltage drops

are lost in the full-wave rectifier
VDC = Vpeak - 2Vf

VDC = Vrms* 2 - 2Vf

VDC = 120* 2 - 2(0.65) = 168.4 V

48
Summary

AC to DC conversion is
performed using a transformer,
a rectifier, and a filter capacitor
Larger filter capacitors result in
a smoother output voltage

49
 Limiters

Dr. Allen Robinson

Academic Professional
School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

Introduce diode limiters

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Lesson Objectives

Introduce limiters
Examine their behavior for sinusoidal inputs
Analyze limiter circuits

51
Limiter (or Clipper)

A non-linear device that limits the output voltage to a

particular level

52
Sinusoidal Input Voltages

Voltage Voltage

Input Output V+ limit

0 Limiter 0
V- limit

53
Limiter
Limiter

If Input Positive Limit

Output = Positive Limit
Input If Input Negative Limit Output
Output = Negative Limit
Otherwise
Output = Input

54
Voltage Transfer Characteristic

Vout

V+ limit
slope = 1

Vin
V- limit

55
 Positive Limiter Circuit
R
- + +

D1
Vin Vout
V1
-

Ideal Diode
56
 Positive and Negative Limiter Circuit
R
- + +
D1 D2
Vin Vout
V1 V2
-

Ideal Diodes V1 > V2

57
Voltage Transfer Characteristic
Vout

Vin

58
Half-Wave Rectifier
A special case of a limiter
Vout

Vin

59
Summary

Limiter operation
Limiter circuits

60
 Voltage
Regulators
Dr. Allen Robinson
Academic Professional
School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

Introduce diode voltage regulators

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Lesson Objectives

Introduce voltage regulation

Examine diode regulator circuits

62
Ideal DC Voltage Regulator

A device that maintains a constant dc output voltage

regardless of variations in input voltage or load

63
DC Regulator Line Regulation = Vout/ Vin

Load Regulation = Vout/ IL

Vout
Regulator
Vin

64
Ideal and Real Voltage Sources
RS
+

Vin Vin

-
Ideal Voltage Real Voltage
Source Source

65
Diode I-V Curve

66
Diode Regulator

67
Output Voltage vs. Load Resistance

68
Output Voltage vs. Input Voltage

69
Higher Output Voltage
How can the output voltage be increased?

70
Component of DC Power Supply

71
Summary

Introduced voltage regulation

Examined diode regulator circuit

72
 Envelope Detector
Demonstration
Dr. Allen Robinson
Academic Professional
School of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

Demonstrate demodulation of an amplitude modulated waveform

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Lesson Objectives

Introduce amplitude modulation and demodulation

Introduce envelope detector circuit

74
Amplitude Modulation (AM)

Modification of the amplitude of a waveform by variation

of a second waveform

carrier
message
signal

75
Waveforms
carrier signal

message

76
AM Uses

Transmitting information (AM Radio)

Creating sound effects

77
Envelope Detector (AM Demodulator)

78
Envelope Detector (AM Demodulator)

79
AC to DC Conversion

80
Summary

Introduced amplitude modulation and demodulation

Examined diode envelope detector circuit

81