Abstract:

We do rectification to convert the AC single into a DC signal. Because AC signals are usually modulated radio
frequency being picked up by the receiver. If it is an amplitude modulated signal we have to rectify the AC
signal to get the information it carries. Most of the sensitive electronic components and Ics may get damaged if
operated on wrong polarity of power supply.AC is changing polarity fifty times every second. So AC will not
work as electronic power supply. We need to convert negative polarity of AC to positive using diode bridge. Just
changing polarity is not enough because unidirectional voltage is pulsating and need to smoothen out and
regulate to make it pure DC like battery. Most electronics, and a number of electrical gadgets do work on DC,
and we want them to run from available AC supply. This makes things different, and need to convert AC to DC.

Introduction:
Rectification: It is process that converts a bidirectional flow into a unidirectional flow. The process of
converting a bidirectional current flow into a unidirectional current flow. In the early days of electrical
engineering, they used a special type of vacuum tube to do this; they called it a valve, since it treated current
much like a plumbing valve treats water. Modern circuitry uses a semiconductor device called a diode to rectify
current. Within its proper operating range, a diode allows current to flow when the applied voltage is positive,
also known as forward bias, but blocks current flow when the applied voltage is negative, also known
as reverse bias.

Half Wave Rectification: when AC supply is applied at the input, positive half cycle appears
across the load, whereas the negative half cycle is suppressed. This can be done by using
the semiconductor PN – junction diode. The diode allows the current to flow only in one
direction. Thus, convert the AC voltage into DC voltage.

Operation of Half Wave Rectification:

When AC supply is switched ON the alternating voltage (V in) shown in the figure below
appears across the terminal AB at the secondary winding.

During the positive half cycle, the terminal A is positive with respect to B and the crystal
diode is forward biased. Therefore, it conducts and current flows through the load resistor
RL. This current varies in magnitude as shown in the wave diagram shown below.
 Full Wave Rectification: when the AC supply is applied at the input, during both the half
cycles (i.e., positive as well as negative) current flows through the load in the same
direction. This can be achieved by using two crystal diodes. The two diodes conduct the
current alternately.
Operation of the Center Tapped Full Wave Rectification:
When AC supply is switched ON the alternating voltage, Vin appears across the terminals AB of
the secondary winding of the transformer. During the positive half cycle of the secondary
voltage, the end A becomes positive, and end B becomes negative. Thus, the
diode D1 becomes forward biased, and diodeD2 becomes reversed biased.

The two diodes conduct simultaneously. Therefore, when the diode D1conducts, the diode
D2 does not conduct and vice versa.

When the Diode D1 is conducting, the current (i) flows through the diode D1load resistor RL (from
M to L) and the upper half of the secondary winding as shown in the circuit diagram marked by
the red colour arrow heads. During the negative half cycle, the end B becomes positive and end
A becomes negative. This makes the diode D2 forward biased, and diode D1 reverse biased.

When the diode D2 conducts while the diode D1 does not. The current (i) flows through the diode
D2 load resistor RL (from M to L) and the lower half of the secondary winding as shown by the
red dotted arrows.

The current flowing through the load resistor R L is in the same direction (i.e., from M to L) during
both the positive as well as the negative half cycle of the input. Hence, the DC output voltage
(Vout = i RL) is obtained across the load resistor.

Working of diodes:

Diodes are widely used semiconductor device. A rectifier diode is a two-lead semiconductor that allows current
to pass in only one direction. Generally, P-N junction Diode is formed by joining together n-type and p-type
semiconductor materials. The P-type side is called the anode and the n-type side is called the cathode. Many
types of diodes are used for a wide range of applications. Rectifier diodes are a vital component in power
supplies where they are used to convert AC voltage to DC voltage.
Unbiased Rectifier Diode:
 When no voltage supplied to a rectifier diode then it is called as an Unbiased Diode, N-side will have a
majority number of electrons, and very few numbers of holes (due to thermal excitation) whereas the P- side
will have a majority charge carriers holes and very few numbers of electrons.
 In this process, free electrons from N-side will diffuse (spread) into the P side and recombine takes place
in holes present there, leaving +ve immobile (not moveable) ions in N- side and creating -ve immobile ions
in the P side of the diode.
 The immobile in the n-type side near the junction edge. Similarly, the immobile ions in the p-type side
near the junction edge. Due to this, numbers of positive ions and negative ions will accumulate at the
junction. This region so formed is called as depletion region.
 At this region, a static electric field called as Barrier Potential is created across the PN junction of the
diode.
 It opposes the further migration of holes and electrons across the junction.

Forward Biased Diode:

 Forward Biasing: In a PN junction diode, the positive terminal of a voltage source is connected to the p-type side,
and the negative terminal is connected to the n-type side, the diode is said to be in forwarding bias condition.
 The electrons get repelled by the negative terminal of DC voltage supply and drift towards the positive terminal.
 So, under the influence of applied voltage, this electron drift causes current to flow in a semiconductor. This
current is termed as “Drift current”. As majority carriers are electrons, current in n-type is the electron current.
 As holes are majority carriers in p-type, these get repelled by positive terminal of DC supply and move across the
junction towards the negative terminal. So, the current in p-type is the hole current.
 So, the overall current due to majority carriers creates a Forward current.
 The direction of conventional current flows from positive to negative of battery in the direction of conventional
current is opposite to the electrons flow.
Reverse Biased Diode:
 Reverse Biased condition: if the diode is the positive terminal of the source voltage is connected to the n-type end,
and the negative terminal of the source is connected to the p-type end of the diode, there will be no current through the
diode except reverse saturation current.
 This is because at the reverse biased condition the depletion layer of the junction becomes broader with increasing
reverse biased voltage.
 Although there is a small current flowing from the n-type to p-type end in the diode due to minority carriers. This
current is called Reverse Saturation Current.
 Minority carriers are mainly thermally generated electrons/ holes in p-type semiconductor and n-type
semiconductor respectively.
 Now if reverse applied voltage across the diode is continually increased, then after certain voltage the depletion
layer will destroy which will cause a huge reverse current to flow through the diode.
 If this current is not externally limited and it reaches beyond the safe value, the diode may be permanently
destroyed.
 These fast moving electrons collide with the other atoms in the device to knock off some more electrons from
them. The electrons, so released further release much more electrons from the atoms by breaking the covalent bonds.
 This process is called as carrier multiplication and leads to a considerable increase in the flow of current through
the p-n junction. The associated phenomenon is called Avalanche Breakdown.
Rectifier Diode Circuit Working

Both the n-type & p-type materials are chemically combined with a special fabrication technique
which results in the formation of a p-n junction. This P-N junction has two terminals which can be
called as electrodes and due to this reason, it is called to be a DIODE

Ripple factor:

 It is a measure of effectiveness of a rectifier circuit. It is defined as the ratio of RMS value of the AC
component (ripple component) Irrms in the output waveform to the DC component VDC in the output
waveform.

Working of capacitor

In order to reduce these ripples in the direct current, a capacitor is used. Thus, a capacitor helps in smoothing
the alternative current (A.C) voltage after the rectification process.

Apparatus:

 CRO
 Multimeter
 Capacitor
 Diodes
 Center tape transformer
 Connecting wires
 Bread board

Procedure:
  Check all apparatus component with the help of multimeter.
 Connect the circuit diagram according to circuit diagram.
 Give an AC signal to circuit with the help of transformer.
 Then circuit give wave for full wave and half wave rectification.
 The capacitor give a smoothness to the wave.
 Then we find Vp(Rect) from wave which is shown on CRO.
 Then we find Vp and Vdc with the help 0f formula.
 Then we find the ripple factor r.

Circuit diagram:

For half wave rectification:

For full wave rectification:

Result and Discussion:
Calculation:
We find V p (rectification) from waveform on CRO.

 Vdc = (1-1/2frc) vp (rectification)

 Vr (pp)=(1/frc) Vp ( rectification )

R = (Vr/Vdc)

Half wave rectification:

Full wave rectification :

Discussion:
Half Wave Rectification:
When AC supply is applied at the input, positive half cycle appears across the load , whereas
the negative half cycle is suppressed.
 Full Wave Rectification: when the AC supply is applied at the input, during both the half
cycles (i.e., positive as well as negative) current flows through the load in the same
direction. This can be achieved by using two crystal diodes.

CONCLUSION:
This experiment focuses on the investigation of the basic characteristics of a diode. This was conducted as an
introductory to Electronics laboratory and in line with some topics in lecture classes. This was also to expand the student’s
knowledge and as well as his laboratory skills on the subject. From the experiment, the following conclusions were drawn:

 The diode test is one of the foundations of electronics.

 It is in forward-biased when its resistance has a smaller value while it is in reverse-biased when its resistance has a
larger value.

 The forward-biased voltage of diode is its barrier potential while the reverse-biased voltage of diode is infinite over
range which shows that the diode is in healthy condition.

 This experiment proved that diode controls the direction of the current.

References:
 https://www.coursehero.com/file/p7n8ne0/CONCLUSION-This-experiment-focuses-on-the-investigation-of-the-
basic/
 https://www.elprocus.com/rectifier-diode-working-applications/
 https://www.dummies.com/programming/electronics/diy-projects/how-rectifier-circuits-work-in-electronics/
 Lab Report
Title:
Half and Full wave rectification

Submitted by:
Arslan Aslam (17441510-093)

Submitted To:
DR.M.Rafique

Program:

BS Physics (4th)

Section:

Date:

13/5/2019