Diodes and their applications

Objective: In this experiment, you will study the current-voltage characteristics of diodes and you
Will use these diodes to build rectifiers and wave-shaping circuits.

DIODE I-V CHARACTERISTICS:

1.- Set up the measuring circuit fig. 6. You can use a 1N4007 or other diode, with a
maximum current-handling capability of 100m A or more. A current iD is forced to Flow
through the diode, and a voltage vD appears across it, by varying the PS voltage, these
quantities can be varied, and their mutual relation can be studied. The series resistor is used
to protect the diode from excessive currents. As already mentioned, the diode current
depends exponentially on its voltage. If the resistor were not included and the PS voltage
were accidentally set to an inappropriately large value (e.g., 1V), an excessive diode current
would flow, which could damage the diode permanently. The resistor does not allow this to
occur; the diode current causes a voltage drop across the resistor, which subtracts from the
PS voltage and this limits the voltage drop across the diode.

2.- Measure and plot iD versus vD (vD should be on the horizontal axis) by varying the PS
voltage. Use both positive and negative values for vD. The diode current should be limited
below 15 m A. Notice that although the PS and resistor are used to help measure the
characteristics of the diode, the final plot has nothing to do with them. That plot
characterizes the diode by itself, since it relates only the diode current to the diode voltage.
Other types of measuring setups would produce the same iD versus vD characteristic for
the same diode.

Voltaje I D (mA
V D(V)
(V) )
1 0.49 0.5
2 1.5 0.561
3 2.48 0.588
5 4.44 0.621
7 6.45 0.643
10 9.65 0.670
12 11.58 0.682
14 13.621 0.694
16 15.63 0.702
3. Adjust the PS voltage so that the diode operates in the high-slope region of the plot just obtained.
Vary the PS voltage and observe the variation of the diode voltage. Are the variations of the two-
voltage equal, or at least of similar magnitude? If not, why not? Explain what is happening.

Cuando el diodo se polariza de forma inversa este se comporta como circuito abierto, y como
consecuencia el voltaje resulta el mismo.
RECTIFIERS:
4. Set up the circuit of fig. 7, using the PS as the voltage source. Plot v versus v s for vs between -10v
and +10v. Explain this plot. When finished with the step, disconnect the PS and the DMM (s) from
the circuit.

5. Based on the plot you have just obtained, answer the following question without hooking up
circuit. What will the waveform of v look like if the power supply is replaced by a sinusoidal
source?

Se tendría una señal de media onda rectificada positiva.

6. Connect the function generator to your circuit, as shown in fig. 8. Use sinusoidal voltage
with a frequency of 1kHz and an amplitude of 4v to check your prediction in step 5.
Observe both the generator and the resistor voltage waveforms, using the two channels of
the scope, Be very careful with grounds. (The ground of the scope should be attached to the
grounded terminal of the function generator; otherwise, the generator maybe damaged. You
may want to consult the chapter on ground connections). Use DC input coupling on the
scope for both channels. You need to think about how you would trigger to obtain a stable
display. Adjust the time/div control so that you can observe several cycles on the screen.
Keep a record of the waveforms obtained. The circuit you have just studied is a rectifier.

AC-TO-DC CONVERTERS AND POWER SUPPLIES:

7. To help keep the output constant, add a 1ՎF capacitor in parallel, as shown in fig. 9. Explain
what you see. CAUTION: If a polarity is indicated on the capacitor available to you, be sure to
observe it.

8. What is the average value of the waveform v?

El valor medio obtenido es 4.5V

9. What is the ripple (variation) of the waveform v in volts? What is the ripple as a percentage of
the average value found in step 8?

V r ( pp) ≅ ( f R1 C )V
L
p (rect)
 1
(
V DC ≅ 1− )
V
2 f R L C p (rect )

10. Try other capacitor values (observing their polarity), nothing their effect on the ripple. Explain
qualitatively.

Cuando se aumenta el valor de la capacitancia, el rizo se ve disminuido; esto debido a que

el capacitor tiene una mayor constante de tiempo de carga.

LIMITERS:

11. It is sometimes necessary to keep a voltage below a certain specified value. The circuit of fig.
10 can be used for this purpose. Assume that the input is a DC voltage. Without building the circuit,
answer the following question: How would you choose the value of v DC so that output voltage does
not exceed 2v, even if the input exceeds this value?

El voltaje debe de ser de 1.3 ya que el voltaje de umbral de un diodo de silicio es 0.7, por
conseciencia, la suma es 2V.

12. To verify your answer in the previous step, set up the circuit of fig. 10 (but do not yet
turn it on). Use a DC power supply to produce vdc. Supply the input voltage V ¿ through a
separate power supply (be careful with ground connections).
NOTE: In the circuit of fig. 10, current can Flow from the input, through the diode, to the +
terminal of the power supply that is implementing V DC. This power supply must be able to
sink (accept)this current. Some power supplies might not be able to do so since they may
have been designed only to deliver current out of their + terminal, not accept a current into
it.
13. Turn on your circuit. Plot V OUT versus V ¿ for both positive and negative values of the
latter. Is the output limited to 2v when the input exceeds this value? If not, explain why,
and make the necessary adjustments so that the output is limited to 2v. When you are
finished, disconnect the input PS from the circuit.

No, es necesario ajustar la fuente VDC a 1.3V para que sean los 2V.

14. Based on the plot you obtained above, answer the following question without hooking
up a circuit. What Will the output waveform look like if, in the final circuit you obtained in
the previous step, the input PS is replaced by a sinusoidal source with an amplitude of 3v?

En el semiciclo positivo se vería con una parte plana hasta que 2V y en el semiciclo
negativo se vería la misma onda. 7

15. To verify your prediction in the previous step, use the function generator to supply
V ¿ (Think carefully how you Will connect the two terminals of the generator to
the input terminal of the circuit. If you make a mistake with grounds, you may damage the
generator? Is the waveform what you expected?

Si
16. Vary the value of V OUT and the input amplitude and observe the effect on the output
waveform. Be sure you understand what you see. This circuit is called a clipper, or limiter,
why?

Son circuitos que emplean diodos para recortar una parte de una señal de entrada sin
distorsionar la parte restante de la forma de onda aplicada.

Proporcione sus conclusiones personales de la práctica, así como sus problemas y dudas al
desarrollarla.

En general la práctica trata de algunas de las muchas aplicaciones que se pueden realizar
con el diodo. Cómo se debe de energizar con una mínima cantidad de voltaje llamado
voltaje de umbral y que varia conforme el material mediante el cual esté hecho el diodo.
Además de observar las ondas de la señal que emitía el diodo cuando éste trabajaba como
un rectificador o recortador. También como el diodo es un elemento electrónico que se
puede polarizar de forma directa e inversamente.