CHAPTER 3:

The Diode Circuits

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 ZENER DIODE CIRCUIT

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 Voltage Regulator - Zener Diode

 A voltage regulator supplies constant voltage to a load.

 At the breakdown voltage of a zener diode was nearly constant over a wide
range of reverse bias current.
 This makes the zener diode useful in a voltage regulator.

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  The breakdown voltage of a Zener
diode is nearly constant over a wide
range of reverse-bias currents.
 This make the Zener diode useful in
a voltage regulator, or a constant-
voltage reference circuit.
3. The remainder
of VPS drops
across Ri

2. The load
resistor
sees a
constant
voltage
regardless
1. The zener diode holds of the
the voltage constant current
regardless of the current
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 Exercise 1

simple Zener diode voltage regulator circuit

A Zener diode is connected in a voltage regulator circuit. It is given that VPS = 20V,
the Zener voltage, VZ = 10V, Ri = 222  and PZ(max) = 400 mW.

a. Determine the values of IL, IZ and II if RL = 380 .

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 For proper function the circuit must satisfied the following conditions.
1. The power dissipation in the Zener diode is less than the rated value
2. When the power supply is a minimum, VPS(min), there must be minimum
current in the zener diode IZ(min), hence the load current is a maximum,
IL(max),
3. When the power supply is a maximum, VPS(max), the current in the diode is
a maximum, IZ(max), hence the load current is a minimum, IL(min)

AND Or, we can write

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 For general thumb of rule for design this circuit is, so from the last Equation

Maximum power dissipated in the Zener diode is

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 simple Zener diode voltage regulator circuit

EXERCISE 2 (Example 3.3 from textbook, page 55)

Consider voltage regulator is used to power the cell phone at 2.5 V

from the lithium ion battery, which voltage may vary between 3 and 3.6
V. The current in the phone will vary 0 (off) to 100 mA(when talking).
Calculate the value of Ri and the maximum power dissipation in Zener
diode .

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 RECTIFIER CIRCUITS

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 Rectifier Circuits
 A diode rectifier forms the first stage of a dc power supply.

Diagram of an Electronic Power Supply

 Rectification is the process of converting an alternating (ac)

voltage into one that is limited to one polarity.
 Rectification is classified as half-wave or full-wave rectifier.

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 Rectifier Parameters

Relationship between the number of turns of a

step-down transformer and the input/output
voltages

The peak inverse voltage (PIV) of the diode is the peak value of the
voltage that a diode can withstand when it is reversed biased

Duty Cycle: describes the percentage of time a signal is on over an

interval or period of time

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 • Vs < V, diode off, open circuit, no
current flow, Vo = 0V

• Vs > V, diode conducts, current flows,

Vo = Vs – V
i

Vp

V
vD
V

Equation of VO and current when diode is conducting

𝑣𝑂 = 𝑖𝐷 𝑅 = 𝑣𝑠 − 𝑉𝛾 𝑣𝑠 − 𝑉𝛾
𝑖𝐷 =
𝑅
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 • Vs< V, diode off, open circuit, no current flow,Vo = 0V

• Vs> V, diode conducts,current flows and Vo = Vs – V

Vs = Vpsin t
Vp
Notice that the
peak voltage of Vo
V is lower

Vs >V

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 EXERCISE 3
• Consider the rectifier circuit in the figure below. Let R = 1 k, and the
diode has the properties of V = 0.6 V and rf = 20 . Assume vI = 10
sin t (V)
i. Determine the peak value of the diode current
ii. Sketch vO versus time, t. Label the peak value of vO.

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 FULL WAVE RECTIFIER - Bridge Rectifier
 Positive cycle, D1 and D2 conducts, D3 and D4
off;
+ V + Vo + V – Vs = 0
Vo = Vs - 2V
 Negative cycle, D3 and D4 conducts, D1 and D2 off
+ V + Vo + V – Vs = 0
Vo = Vs - 2V

Also notice that the polarity of the output voltage for both cycles is the same
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 Duty Cycle
Duty Cycle (D) is measured in percentage. The percentage duty
cycle specifically describes the percentage of time a digital signal
is on (T) over an interval or period of time (P).
𝑇
D = × 100%
𝑃

D : duty cycle

T : time the signal is on

P: total period of the

signal

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 Exercise 4 -Half Wave Rectifier

Determine the currents and voltages of the half-wave rectifier circuit. Consider
the half-wave rectifier circuit shown in Figure.
Assume and . Also assume that
Determine the peak diode current, maximum reverse-bias diode voltage, the
fraction of the wave cycle over which the diode is conducting.

A simple half-wave battery charger circuit

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 Solution for the fraction of the wave cycle over which the diode is
conducting
This node must be
at least 6.6V 6V

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 Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV)
The Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV) of the diode is the peak value
of the voltage that a diode can withstand when it is reversed
biased

Type of PIV
Rectifier
Half Wave Peak value of the input secondary voltage,
Vs (peak)
Full Wave: Bridge Vs(peak)- V

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 Exercise 5
Given a half wave rectifier with input primary voltage, Vp = 80
sin t and the transformer turns ratio, N1/N2 = 6. If the
diode is ideal diode, (V = 0V), determine the value of the
peak inverse voltage.

1. Get the input of the secondary voltage:

80 / 6 = 13.33 V

2. PIV for half-wave = Peak value of the input voltage = 13.33 V 21

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 Exercise 6
Calculate the transformer turns ratio and the PIV voltages for full
wave bridge rectifier.

Assume the input voltage of the transformer is 220 V (rms), 50 Hz

from ac main line source. The desired peak output voltage is 9 volt;
also assume diodes cut-in voltage = 0.6 V.

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 CLIPPER CIRCUIT

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 Standard Clipper Circuits
● Clipper circuits, also called limiter circuits, are used to eliminate
portion of a signal that are above or below a specified level – clip value.
● The purpose of the diode is that when it is turn on, it provides the clip
value
i. Find the clip value = V’. To find V’, use KVL at L1 assuming the diode is on
ii. The equation is : V’ – VB - V = 0  V’ = VB + V

VI

V’ = VB + V
L1

iii. Then, set the conditions

If VI > V’, what happens?  diode conducts, clips and hence Vo = V’
If VI < V’, what happens?  diode off, open circuit, no current flow, Vo = Vi
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 Exercise 7
For the circuit shown below sketch the waveform of the output
voltage, Vo. The input voltage is a sine wave where VI = 5 sin t.
VB is given as 1.3 V. Assume V = 0.6 V

1.3 V

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 Exercise 8
For the circuit shown below sketch the waveform of the output
voltage, Vout. The input voltage is a sine wave where Vin = 10 sin t.
Assume V = 0.7 V

+ +

Vin Vout

- -

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 Parallel Based Clippers

 Positive and negative clipping can be performed simultaneously

by using a double limiter or a parallel-based clipper.

 The parallel-based clipper is designed with two diodes and two

voltage sources oriented in opposite directions.
 This circuit is to allow clipping to occur during both cycles;
negative and positive

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 Series Based Clippers
 Diode clipper circuit can be designed such that the dc power supply is in
series with the input signals.
 The battery in series with the input signal causes the input signal to be
superimposed on the VB dc voltage
 basically, clipper in series clips at zero. It is similar to half wave where the
diode only turns on during one of the cycle.

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 CLAMPER

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 Clampers
● Clamping shifts the entire signal voltage
by a DC level.
 Consider, the sinusoidal input voltage
signal, vI.
 1st 900, the capacitor is charged up to
the peak value of VI which is VM.
 Then, as VI moves towards the –ve
cycle,
 the diode is reverse biased.
 Ideally, capacitor cannot discharge,
hence Vc = VM
 By KVL, we get

NOTE: The input signal is shifted by a dc

level; and that the peak-to-peak value is
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 ● A clamping circuit that includes an independent voltage source VB.
Peak value VM

 STEP 1: Knowing what value that the capacitor is charged to. And from
the polarity of the diode, we know that it is charged during positive
cycle. Using KVL,
 VC + VB – VS = 0  VC = VM – VB
 STEP 2: When the diode is reversed biased and VC is already a constant
value
 VO – VS + VC = 0  VO = VS – VC.

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 Exercise 11 - homework
For the circuit shown in figure below, sketch the
waveforms of the output voltage, vout. The input
voltage is a sine wave where vin = 20 sin t.
Assume ideal diodes.

Vin

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 What if the diode is non-ideal?
C Vi

+ + 10

Vi Vo t
5V -4.3
- - -10
The diode is a non-ideal
-14.3
with V = 0.7V
-24.3

Step 1: VC + V - VB – Vi = 0  VC = 10 + 5 – 0.7 = 14.3V

Step 2: VO – Vi + VC = 0  VO = Vi – 14.3.

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 MULTIPLE DIODE CIRCUITS

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 Multiple Diode Circuits
 In many circuits, we may need to have more than one diode to ensure
the desired output.
 Analyzing these circuits needs careful considerations, due to the “on”
and “off” mechanisms of each diode.
 Exercise 12 :

Two diodes circuit

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 Diode Logic Circuits
 Two-input diode “OR” logic circuit and its operation:

OR GATE
Vo = voltage
across R

V1 V2 VO

D1 and D2 off; no current flow, 0 0 0

D1 off, D2 on, current flow, 0 5V ( 1 ) 4.3V

Vo – V2 + V = 0
D1 on, D2 off, current flow, 5V ( 1 ) 0 4.3V
Vo – V1 + V = 0

Both on, using both loops will 5V ( 1 ) 5V ( 1 ) 4.3V

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  Two-input diode “AND” logic circuit and its operation:

AND GATE Vo = node

voltage

AND gate

V1 V2 VO

Both on, using both loops will 0 0 0.7

give the same equation
D1 on, D2 off 0 5V ( 1 ) 0.7

D1 off, D2 on 5V ( 1 ) 0 0.7V

Both are off; open circuit no 5V ( 1 ) 5V ( 1 ) 5V

current flowing through R since 37
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no GND destination