Knowledge Integration Pre-work 1

Basic Objective of KI-1: The knowledge integration module 1 or KI-1 is a vehicle to help you better
grasp the commonality and connections between concepts covered in ECE 311, 331 and 341 during LSM
1 and 2. In the KI, we will consider the illustrative example of a general radio system e.g., a cellphone to
see how the materials covered in the courses ECE 311, 331, and 341 inform engineering and design.

Pre-work: To be completed and turned into the BC Infill on Tuesday, September 19th by 10 pm.

Consider the system in Figure 1 and its two (sub)-systems: the rectifier in green and the RC
circuit in blue. Assume that all components are ideal (unless otherwise stated) and the
characteristics of the components do not change over time.

Rectifier RC Circuit
R1

vin(t) + +

vrec(t) C R2 vout(t)

Figure 1: Power Supply Circuit

1) Linearity and time-invariance:

a. Is the rectifier a linear system? Is it time-invariant? Justify your answers.
b. Is the RC circuit a linear system? Is it time-invariant? Justify your answers.
c. Is the entire system in Figure 1 linear? Is it time-invariant? Justify your answers.
d. If the rectifier is removed from Figure 1, can a DC output voltage be generated from an
AC source with the RC circuit alone? Justify your answer.
2) Rectifier output: Suppose that the diodes in the bridge are all ideal, that is, their
threshold voltages are equal to zero. Let the AC voltage source at the input be a sinusoidal
signal of the form vin(𝑡) = 𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜔0 𝑡). Write a mathematical expression for the signal at the
output of the rectifier, i.e., vrect(t).
3) Unit-step response: Consider the RC circuit alone. Let vrect(t) = u(t), where u(t) is the unit
step function. Find a mathematical expression for the output voltage vout(t) using what you
have learned in ECE 202. By doing so, you will find the unit-step response s(t) of the RC
 circuit.
4) Impulse response: Find a mathematical expression for the impulse response h(t) of the RC
circuit from the unit-step response s(t) obtained in the previous part.
5) Convolution: Consider the entire system in Figure 1. Suppose vin(t) = 𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜔0 𝑡).
a. Using linearity and time-invariance, explain whether or not you expect the output vout(t)
of the system to be periodic.
b. Using the convolution integral, find a mathematical expression for vout(t).
Hint:
1
∫ sin(𝜔0 𝜏) 𝑒 𝑎𝜏 𝑑𝜏 = 2 2 𝑒 𝑎𝜏 (𝑎sin(𝜔0 𝜏) − 𝜔0 cos(𝜔0 𝜏))
𝜔0 +𝑎
6) In diodes, the drift current signifies that the velocity of charge carriers is proportional to the
applied electric field E. This is only true for moderate magnitudes of the field E. The velocity is
no longer proportional for very high magnitudes of the field E. Why? Feel free to use Google
and/or any other electronic resource to explain why this is a problem in CMOS transistors. (We
are yet to cover CMOS transistors in class but we have definitely covered drift current. The
understanding of how drift current affects CMOS operation is an important phenomenon in
modern integrated circuit design.)
7) Consider the depletion region in a diode to be analogous to a parallel plate capacitor (Figure
4) with a dielectric material separating the plates. Is the magnitude of the electric field in the
dielectric greater for a material medium (say epoxy) as opposed to vacuum? Why (explain using
concepts from electrostatics)? Can you now see the similarity between the effect of Zener
breakdown in diodes and dielectric breakdown in capacitors? Explain.
8)

Figure 2: PN junction showing the depletion region.

Let us revisit the depletion region in a diode as shown above. If the electric field in this region is
in the longitudinal (→) direction as shown, we all know this field retards diffusion current but
aids drift current. Now, if we add a new electric field in the transverse (↑) direction as well, what
will happen to the magnitude of the drift and diffusion current? Can you name a device where
such a transverse electric field occurs (hint: you will definitely cover this device in ECE 331 in
LSM 3)? Feel free to use Google and/or any other electronic tools information sources for your
answer.
9) Let us assume the diodes in the full wave rectifier in Figure 1 have a threshold voltage of 0.7
V. In the rectifier bridge, what would be the expected output immediately after the diode bridge,
vrect(t)? How does this ‘output’ signal change if the diode had a threshold of 0 V (perfect switch)?
How do you rationalize for the difference in energy of the ‘output’ signal for both these cases?
10) What is the definition of dielectric constant of a material? Can you give an example of when
we need a material with high dielectric constant and low dielectric constant in electronic design?
Feel free to use Google and/or other electronic tools for your answer.
11) Sketched in Figure 3 is a pn junction between two semiconducting half-spaces, doped p type
and n type, respectively. The volume charge distribution in the semiconductor can be
approximated by the following function: (x) = 0 (x/a) exp(-|x|/a), where 0 and a are positive
constants. The permittivity of the semiconductor is . Find: (a) the electric field intensity vector
in the semiconductor, (b) the electric scalar potential in the semiconductor, and (c) the built-in
voltage of the pn junction (diode), namely, the voltage between the ends of the semiconductor,
from the end on the n-type side to the end on the p-type side of the junction.

Figure 3:Model of a pn junction with a linear-exponential charge distribution

12) Shown in Figure 4 is a parallel-plate capacitor that is half filled with a nonlinear dielectric.
The other part of the capacitor is air-filled. The capacitor is charged by being connected to a
voltage source. The source is then disconnected, and the capacitor electrodes are short-circuited.
In the new electrostatic state, there is a remanent uniform polarization throughout the volume of
the dielectric, with the polarization vector being normal to the capacitor plates and its magnitude
being P. Determine the electric field intensity vector between the capacitor plates in (a) air and
(b) dielectric. Fringing can be neglected. (Note: the dielectric is nonlinear so you cannot use the
permittivity of the dielectric.)
 Figure 4:Short-circuited parallel-plate capacitor containing a nonlinear dielectric layer with a
uniform remanent polarization

13) Consider the spherical capacitor shown in Figure 5 below and assume that the inner
dielectric layer is made from mica (r1 = 5.4), whereas the outer layer is oil (r2 = 2.3). The
geometrical parameters are a = 2 cm, b = 8 cm, and c = 16 cm. The capacitor is connected to a
source of voltage V = 100 V. The source is then disconnected, and the oil is drained from the
capacitor. (a) Find the voltage between the electrodes of the capacitor in the new electrostatic
state. Then, find the breakdown voltage of the capacitor in (b) the first state (outer layer is oil)
and (c) the second state (outer layer is air). The dielectric strengths for mica and oil are Ecr1 =
200 MV/m and Ecr2 = 15 MV/m, respectively.

Figure 5:Spherical capacitor with two concentric dielectric layers

14) (Consider question 3) A voltage generator of step (Heaviside function) emf (voltage) V = 5
V applied at t = 0 and series internal resistance Rg = 50 Ω is terminated in a load consisting of a
resistor of resistance R = 30 Ω and a capacitor of capacitance C = 20 pF connected in series. (a)
Sketch the waveform for 0 ≤ t < ∞ of the voltage across the load. (b) Redo part (a) but for a
parallel connection of R and C. Do this, both parts, by analyzing the process of charging and
discharging the capacitor, without solving differential equations for the circuit. By this approach,
you can “solve” these circuits and sketch the voltage waveforms, and see how the circuits
“work”, in a minute (literally). If you desire, you can check these solutions by those obtained by
formal circuit analysis solving differential equations.
15) (Consider question 3) Redo the previous problem but for a voltage generator of rectangular
pulse emf (voltage) with magnitude V = 5 V and width t0 = 1 ns, applied at t = 0. Do not analyze
this circuit from scratch but use the results from the previous problem and take advantage of the
linearity and time invariance of the circuit, based on the following reasoning. Note that the pulse
excitation can be viewed as a superposition of two step functions with opposite polarities and a
time shift (delay) t0 between them. Due to the linearity and time invariance of the circuit, the
response of the circuit to the pulse excitation can be computed combining the individual
responses to the two step inputs if applied alone. Namely, the load voltage is the same
superposition of the response to the first step function and its flipped-over (multiplied by −1) and
delayed (by t0) version – as for the excitation. Explain this reasoning and solution to the problem
from the ECE311 point of view and its concepts.