Introduction:

The purpose of this lab is to learn about silicon diode (p-n junction) 1N4001 using a real-
world application. This is important for us to gained knowledge about those things which we have
learned in our classroom and how it relates to real circuits. Also looking at how assumptions plays
an important role in real circuits and how intuition works in circuit analysis. It is also important to
know how equations modeling diodes works when applied to real diodes.
In this Lab we are looking at how full wave rectifier circuits works using both AC and DC
voltage inputs. For this we have learned how to use oscilloscope and function generator to get
required output in our last lab. It helps us to understand and visualize how these things works. For
DC voltage input, current and Voltage measured across the diode, and we calculate power
assumption from the diode to see how real diodes behave. In this lab we are also going to learn
about Zener diode.
The AC full wave rectifier circuit allowed us to observe unrectified input signal to rectified
output signal in the oscilloscope. We learned how to rectify full wave using four diodes. While
doing experiment we get to know that output signal is not perfect with the input signal. This
explains us the effect of diode that why rectified signal have some loss. We got output at
oscilloscope.
The Zener diode operates as voltage regulator. In this Lab we are looking at how Zener
diode works as voltage regulator. This is another type of diode. Where we can regulate voltage at
specific point or value.
In conclusion we learned and observed in this Lab about the characteristics of real world
diodes, application of diode in the form of full wave rectifier circuit. Then about another type of
diode. Also reasoning and assumptions made in circuit analysis.
Experiment and Data:
Circuit 1:

Figure 1: Circuit 1

D1=D2=D3=D4= 1N4001
R1= 200 ohm

The first circuit used a standard AC voltage Source and resistor R1 with a diode D1, D2, D3, D4.
For analysis we can use oscilloscope channel 1 to check the waveform and to make sure that
channel 1 ground indicate is aligned with one of the fixed horizontal grid on the screen and
remember the location of the ground line. After it we use oscilloscope channel 1 to observe VO,
TP2 (black) and TP3 (red).
And the values we measured is given in below table:

Positive Peak Amplitude of Input Sine Wave 0.828 V

Peak Amplitude of full-wave rectified output 4.125 V
DC voltage across R1 4.010 V
Peak reverse Voltage across D1 0.750 V
Peak reverse Voltage across D2 0.750 V
 Circuit 2:

Figure 2: Circuit 2

In this Circuit we construct Zener diode voltage regulator circuit and emulated load circuit using
the components that we calculated in pre lab. We use the +25 voltage power supply to serve as the
variable DC power source 5V, 7V and 9V.
And the values we measured are given in following table:
DC Source 5V 7V 9V
Vz (without load ) 3.01 V 3.32 V 3.45 V
ID1 (without load, same 36 mA 72m A 111m A
as I supply)
Supply Power (without 90 m W 504 m W 382 m W
load )
Vz with Load 2.75V 3.13V 3.34V
I supply (with load reading 0.044A 0.76m A 0.113 A
on power Supply)
Supply Power (with 102 mW 238mW 377m W
load)

To measure current TP1, TP2, and TP3 are all connected together, we set our multimeter in DC
Ammeter mode and then move the probe leads as well. Then we break the connection between
TP1 and TP2. Connect the Ammeter in between TP1 (red) and TP2 (black), and we on the supply
to get results. By reconnecting TP1 and TP2 and break TP1 and TP3. We connect the Ammeter in
between TP1 (red) and TP3 (black).Then turn on the power supply to conduct the measurements
of current ID1 with load (Green LED lights on).

The results are shown in table given below:

DC Source 5V 7V 9V
Load Current IL 33.4mA 49.12mA 65.42mA
ID1 with Load 57mA 33mA 12.3mA
Power dissipated by 12.25uW 26.51uW 47.03uW
the Load (mW)
Power Dissipated by 32.49uW 05.45uW 0.50uW
R1

Data Analysis and Theory:

Problem 1:
Part a:
The knee voltage of diode affects the peak voltage of the rectified wave because the diodes
takes knee voltage out of the input voltage. Therefore it reduced the rectified wave. Due to which
a slide delaying effect also occur. That is why there is reduction in full wave rectifier.
Part b:
DC Voltage across R1 measured is 4.01V while using equation
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐷𝐶 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 = 0.636 ∗ 𝑉𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
Average DC Voltage = 0.636*4.125=2.6235V

The % of difference between the measured DC voltage across R1 with respect to the value of
0.636*Vpeak is 45%.

Part c:
First we observe how full wave rectifier works through prediction and simulation then by
experiment we learn how real time diode operates and percentage of error between simulation and
experimental values. There are some difference in simulation and experimental value that is
because of hardware (wire resistance etc.).

Problem 1:
Part a:

It is quite similar to the graph in text book but not actually same as book. We clearly seen
that Zener diode operates in reverse direction.
Part b:
At Izt Vz is almost eual to 2.8V
There is just a little difference of almost 7.47% .

Part c:
∆𝑉𝑧
𝑅𝑧 =
∆𝐼𝑑1
3.32 − 3.01
𝑅𝑧 = = 103 𝑜ℎ𝑚
36 ∗ 10−3 − 33 ∗ 10^ − 3

Here we get 103 ohm which is greater than impedance present in data sheet.

Part d:
KCL holds at different values of voltage source. For Id1, I supply and IL.
Part d:
On selection of R1 we must take care of power efficiency because if power efficiency
affected due to the selection of R1. The whole circuit disturbs and we may drop a lot of voltage
at R1.

Conclusion:
In this lab we learn about another application of diode which is full wave rectifier we learn
about how it works. By doing simulation we learned to use multisim and in theory prediction we
used are theoretical knowledge. Then we do this experiment on hardware and observe how it works
in real time diode. This is a real time diode application. As we rectify full wave in this experiment.
In second part we studied another useful type of diode which is Zener diode. We use
voltage regulator in real world so much. In this first we do simulation that how it works and then
we look at its hardware part how it real time operates.
These are the two application that we learned in this lab and we gained a lot of Simulation
and hardware knowledge in this Lab that will be useful in our next labs and even in future.