ELECTRONIC

PRINCIPLES
(BEE 2113)
Section 3
By:
DR. NAFARIZAL BIN NAYAN
Department of Electronic Engineering
Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

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2. DIODE CIRCUITS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

Diode characteristic

Diode circuit analysis

Diode applications
Half-wave rectifier
Full-wave rectifier
Clipping circuit
Clamping circuit

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Diode characteristic

From Kirchoff’s Voltage Law (KVL),

Vss  I D R  VD

Plot this equation to ID-VD graph

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Diode characteristic and load line

Vss  I D R  VD If ID=0, VD=Vss

If VD=0, ID=Vss/R

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Diode circuit analysis

Tutorial:

Example 2.1-2.4

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Diode approximation

(+) (-)

Forward biased Reverse biased

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Offset voltage for diode

Silicon Ideal

id id

vd vd
0.7 0

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 Diode applications

Half-wave rectifier
Full-wave rectifier
Clipping circuit
Clamping circuit

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Half-wave rectifier
Forward biased
Reverse biased

Average value:
VP
V AVG 


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Full-wave rectifier

Positive half-cycle

Negative half-cycle
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Full-wave rectifier

One can also construct

a full-wave rectifier circuit
using four diodes.
→ Bridge rectifier circuit

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 Clipping circuit

Clippers are networks that employs diodes to

“clip” away a portion of an input signal without
distorting the remaining part of the applied
waveform.

Two general categories:

Series
Parallel

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 Series

Parallel

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Biased Clipper circuit

RL

Step 1 Determine the transition voltage

Step 2 Determine forward & reverse biased

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Clamping circuit

A clamper is a network constructed of a diode, a

resistor, and a capacitor that shifts a waveform to
a different dc level without changing the
appearance of the applied signal.

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Examples:

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Zener diode

A zener diode is a p-n junction device which is

designed for a specific reverse breakdown voltage.

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Zener effect:
High reverse voltages can provide electrons enough
energy to “jump” from valence band to conduction
band, thus creating free electrons. Hence, the diode
conducts a high current under reverse bias.

Energy band in Silicon Atom

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Avalanche effect:
Minority carriers in the depletion region are strongly
accelerated by the electric field, thus creating
electron-hole pairs by impact ionization. The
increase of free carriers increases the current, which
provides more carriers to create impact ionization

Depletion
region

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Application of Zener Diode

•Zener diode can be used as a voltage regulator for

providing stable constant reference voltages

•Zener diode can be used as a clipper

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 RULES OF THE GAME

 Each group is given to ask 10 questions.

 1 minute is given for another group to answer.
 if a group answer the question correctly, one
point will be given to the group.
 if no group answer the question, the group
who asked the question need to give the answer
and will get one point.
 if the question is too difficult, the group will
get a penalty minus one point!!

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Application of Zener Diode (continue…)

•Zener diode can be used as a voltage regulator for

providing stable constant reference voltages

Zener diode 1N4740A

Izk=0.25 mA
Izm=1W/10V=100mA
**Zener impedance is neglected

Maximum and minimum input voltage?

To maintain an approximate 10V output.

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