DIODE APPLICATIONS

Robert L. Boylestad

RESISTANCE OF CRYSTAL DIODE

As the operating point of the diode moves from one region to another the resistance of the diode will also change due to the nonlinear shape of the characteristic curve. The type of applied voltage of signal will define the resistance level of interest
Forward Resistance. a. b. DC Forward Resistance/DC or Static Resistance AC Forward Resistance/AC or Dynamic Resistance.

Reverse Resistance Average AC Resistance

DC Forward Resistance/DC or Static Resistance

The application of a dc voltage to a circuit containing a semiconductor diode will result in an operating point on the characteristic curve that will not change with time.
The resistance of the diode at the operating point can be found simply by finding the corresponding levels of VD and ID The dc resistance levels at the knee and below will be greater than the resistance levels obtained for the vertical rise section of the characteristics. The resistance level at the reverse bias region will naturally be quite high.

The lower the current through the diode the higher the dc resistance level.

Fig: dc resistance (static resistance) of a diode at a particular operating point

AC Forward Resistance /Dynamic Resistance.

The dc resistance is independent of the shape of the characteristic in the region surrounding the point of interest. If the sinusoidal input is applied, the operating point will move up and down region of the characteristics with specific change of current and voltage.

With no applied varying signal the Q (quiescent means still unvarying) point will be fixed and decided by applied dc levels.
A straight line drawn tangent to the curve through the Q-point will define a particular change in voltage and current that can be used to determine the ac or dynamic resistance. The lower the Q point of operation the higher the ac resistance.

Fig: ac resistance (dynamic resistance) of a diode at a particular operating point

LOAD-LINE ANALYSIS

The applied load will normally have an important impact on the point of region of operation of a device. A load line is used in graphic analysis of circuits, The operating point is where the parameters of the nonlinear device and the parameters of the linear circuit match, according to how they are connected while still adhering to their internal systems The point of operation is usually called the quiescent point or Q-point

Fig: Load Line Analysis

LOAD-LINE ANALYSIS

In the example on the right, the nonlinear diode is placed in series with a linear circuit consisting of a resistor and a voltage source. The load line represents the relationship between current and voltage in the linear part of the circuit while the exponential represents the relationship between current and voltage in the nonlinear device. Since the current going through three elements in series should be the same, the operating point of the circuit will be at the intersection of the exponential with the load line

Fig: symbol of diode

RECTIFIER
Robert L. Boylestad

RECTIFIER

The diode rectifier converts the input sinusoidal voltage, Vs to a uni-polar output Vo. Types of rectifier circuits:
HALF WAVE RECTIFIER FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

Rectifier is simply a device that rectifies or removes or shifts part of an AC signal

Why do we need it?

Biasing is always provided by dc signal (i.e. biasing is independent of time). For biasing of a circuit we need dc supply. In that case rectifier converts AC signal into DC for biasing.

HALF WAVE RECTIFIER

For Ideal diode

For (+ve) half cycle: diode is on. V0 =Vi (t) For (-ve) half cycle: diode is off V0=0

HALF WAVE RECTIFIER

HALF WAVE RECTIFIER

For Practical diode: Vr=0.7 volt (for Si)/ 0.3 volt (Ge) For (+ve ) half cycle diode turns on when Vi=Vr /Vd and upto this point V0=0. For (-ve ) half cycle diode is off i.e. V0 =0.

HALF-WAVE RECTIFICATION

During the positive half cycle of the input voltage the polarity of the voltage across the secondary forward biases the diode. As a result a current IL flows through the load resistor, RL. The forward biased diode offers a very low resistance and hence the voltage drop across it is very small. Thus the voltage appearing across the load is practically the same as the input voltage at every instant

HALF-WAVE RECTIFICATION
During the negative half cycle of the input voltage the polarity of the secondary voltage gets reversed. As a result, the diode is reverse biased. Practically no current flows through the circuit and almost no voltage is developed across the resistor. All input voltage appears across the diode itself. The process of removing one half the input signal to establish a dc level is called half wave rectification

Disadvantages of half wave rectifier

The

ac supply delivers power only half the time and the output is low.

EFFICIENCY OF HALF WAVE RECTIFICATION

Efficiency, h is the ratio of the dc output power to ac input power Thus

FULL-WAVE RECTIFICATION

A Full Wave Rectifier is a circuit, which converts an ac voltage into a pulsating dc voltage using both half cycles of the applied ac voltage Full wave rectifier: a. Centre-tapped Full-wave Rectifier b. Bridge Rectifier

CENTRE TAP FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

CENTRE TAP FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

During

the positive half cycle of the input voltage, diode D1 becomes forward biased and D2 becomes reverse biased. Hence D1 conducts and D2 remains OFF. The load current flows through D1 and the voltage drop across RL will be equal to the input voltage.

CENTRE TAP FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

During the negative half cycle of the input voltage, diode D1 becomes reverse biased and D2 becomes forward biased. Hence D1 remains OFF and D2 conducts. The load current flows through D2 and the voltage drop across RL will be equal to the input voltage

FULL-WAVE BRIDGE RECTIFIER

A bridge circuit is a type of electrical circuit in which the current in a conductor splits into two parallel paths and then recombines into a single conductor, thereby enclosing a loop
Advantages: a. The need for centre-tapped transformer is eliminated b. The output is twice that of the centre tap circuit for the same secondary voltage. c. PIV is one-half that of the centre tapped circuit. Disadvantages: a. It requires four diodes b. Two diodes conducts during each half cyclepower/voltage drop is twice than centre tap. This objectionable when secondary voltage is small.

EFFICIENCY OF FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

Efficiency, h is the ratio of the dc output power to ac input power

RIPPLE FACTOR

The ratio of r.m.s. value of ac component to the dc component in the rectifier output is known as Ripple factor.

rms value of ac component I ac Ripple Factor= Value of dc component I dc

ZENER DIODE

When the reverse bias on a crystal diode is increased, a critical voltage called breakdown voltage is reached where the reverse current increases sharply to a high value is the knee of the reverse characteristics. This breakdown voltage is called Zener voltage and the sharp increase in current is called the Zener current. Zener voltage depends upon amount of doping. For heavily doped diode the depletion layer shall be thin and the Zener voltage will be low and for lightly doped diode the voltage is high. Hence, a properly doped crystal diode which has a sharp breakdown voltage is known as a Zener diode.

Points to remember

A zener diode is like an ordinary diode except it is properly doped so as to have sharp breakdown voltage. A zener diode is always reverse connected/reverse biased. Has a sharp breakdown voltage called zener voltage Vz When forward biased, its characteristics its just like an ordinary diode. A zener diode is not immediately burnt in the breakdown region as long as the current is less than the burnt out value.

ZENER DIODE
Equivalent circuit of a zener diode a. On state b. Off state Zener diode as a voltage stabilizer

Fig: zener diode