ECE121: Electronics (1)

Lecture 3: The Varactor Diodes

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny

Electronics and Communications Engineering
Faculty of Engineering (Shoubra)
Benha University

Spring 2017

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 1 / 15

Lecture Outline:

1 Introduction.

2 Basic Operation of Varactors.

3 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

4 A Typical Application of Varactors.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 2 / 15

 Introduction.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.

2 Basic Operation of Varactors.

3 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

4 A Typical Application of Varactors.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 3 / 15

 Introduction.

Introduction:

In a reverse biased PN junction, the junction

capacitance varies with the amount of reverse bias
voltage VR .

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 4 / 15

 Introduction.

Introduction:

In a reverse biased PN junction, the junction

capacitance varies with the amount of reverse bias
voltage VR .

Varactor diodes are specially designed to take

advantage of this characteristic and operate as a The depletion region acts as a
voltage-controlled capacitors. capacitor dielectric.
The p and n regions act as the
capacitor plates.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 4 / 15

 Introduction.

Introduction:

In a reverse biased PN junction, the junction

capacitance varies with the amount of reverse bias
voltage VR .

Varactor diodes are specially designed to take

advantage of this characteristic and operate as a The depletion region acts as a
voltage-controlled capacitors. capacitor dielectric.
A varactor operates in reverse bias and is doped to The p and n regions act as the
maximize the capacitance of the depletion region. capacitor plates.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 4 / 15

 Basic Operation of Varactors.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.

2 Basic Operation of Varactors.

3 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

4 A Typical Application of Varactors.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 5 / 15

 Basic Operation of Varactors.

Basic Operation of Varactors:

In general, the capacitance C of a capacitor is

determined by:

C =
A d
d
where,
A is the plate area. A
ϵ
d is the plate separation distance.
 is the dielectric constant.
In the varactor diode, the depletion region width
is varying to change the capacitance value.
Changing the depletion region width is done by
varying the reverse biased voltage.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 6 / 15

 Basic Operation of Varactors.

Basic Operation of Varactors:

If the reverse-bias voltage increases: The

depletion region widens, effectively increasing
the plate separation, thus decreasing the
capacitance.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 7 / 15

 Basic Operation of Varactors.

Basic Operation of Varactors:

If the reverse-bias voltage increases: The When the reverse-bias voltage decreases:
depletion region widens, effectively increasing The depletion region narrows, the separation
the plate separation, thus decreasing the distance decrease and thus increasing the
capacitance. capacitance.
Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 7 / 15
 Basic Operation of Varactors.

Basic Operation of Varactors:

Example of a diode capacitance versus reverse voltage graph:

Varactor diode symbol

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 8 / 15

 Basic Operation of Varactors.

Basic Operation of Varactors:

Capacitance Ratio:

Varactor Capacitance Ratio:

The varactor capacitance ratio is the ratio of the diode
capacitance at a minimum reverse voltage to the diode
capacitance at a maximum reverse voltage.

Varactor diode symbol

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 9 / 15

 Basic Operation of Varactors.

Basic Operation of Varactors:

Capacitance Ratio:

Varactor Capacitance Ratio:

The varactor capacitance ratio is the ratio of the diode
capacitance at a minimum reverse voltage to the diode
capacitance at a maximum reverse voltage.

Example
For Zetex832A Varactor, the capacitance at VR of 2 V
is 22 pF . And it is measured as 4.4 pF at a VR of 20 V .
The capacitance ratio is designated as:

C2 22 Varactor diode symbol

CR = = =5
C20 4.4

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 9 / 15

 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.

2 Basic Operation of Varactors.

3 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

4 A Typical Application of Varactors.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 10 / 15

 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

Varactor Back-to-Back Operation:

It is important to keep the varactor in reverse-biased

mode to work as a controlled voltage capacitor.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 11 / 15

 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

Varactor Back-to-Back Operation:

It is important to keep the varactor in reverse-biased

mode to work as a controlled voltage capacitor.
Using just a single varactor in RF tuning may derive
the diode to work in forward-biased mode.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 11 / 15

 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

Varactor Back-to-Back Operation:

It is important to keep the varactor in reverse-biased

mode to work as a controlled voltage capacitor.
Using just a single varactor in RF tuning may derive
the diode to work in forward-biased mode.
To avoid this, we use two varactor diodes operating
in a back to back configuration with the reverse
dc voltage applied to both devices.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 11 / 15

 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

Varactor Back-to-Back Operation:

It is important to keep the varactor in reverse-biased

mode to work as a controlled voltage capacitor.
Using just a single varactor in RF tuning may derive
the diode to work in forward-biased mode.
To avoid this, we use two varactor diodes operating
in a back to back configuration with the reverse
dc voltage applied to both devices.

Principle of Operation
The two diodes will be driven alternately into high and
low capacitance, and the net capacitance will remain
constant and is unaffected by the rf signal amplitude.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 11 / 15

 A Typical Application of Varactors.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.

2 Basic Operation of Varactors.

3 Varactor Back-to-Back Operation.

4 A Typical Application of Varactors.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 12 / 15

 A Typical Application of Varactors.

A Typical Application of Varactors:

A major application of varactors is in
tuning circuits: VHF, UHF, satellite
receivers and cellular communications.

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 13 / 15

 A Typical Application of Varactors.

A Typical Application of Varactors:

A major application of varactors is in
tuning circuits: VHF, UHF, satellite
receivers and cellular communications.
The varactor acts as a variable capacitor
in resonant circuits, thus allowing the
resonant frequency to be adjusted by a
variable voltage level:
1
fr = √
2π LC

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 13 / 15

 A Typical Application of Varactors.

A Typical Application of Varactors:

A major application of varactors is in
tuning circuits: VHF, UHF, satellite
receivers and cellular communications.
The varactor acts as a variable capacitor
in resonant circuits, thus allowing the
resonant frequency to be adjusted by a
variable voltage level:
1
fr = √
2π LC

C1 prevents a dc path from the potentiometer

back to the ac source.
C2 prevents a dc path from the potentiometer to
a load on the output.
Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 13 / 15
 A Typical Application of Varactors.

A Typical Application of Varactors:

Example Solution:
1
1 The capacitance ratio of a C2
Zetex 832A varactor is 5. C20 = = 4.4 pF
CR
Its capacitance at a 2 V
2
reverse bias is 22 pF ,
determine the capacitance 1 1
fr 1 = √ = √ = 795 kHz
at a reverse bias of 20 V . 2π LC2 2π 2 mH 20 pF
2 Calculate the resonant
3
frequencies at the bias
extremes for the circuit if 1 1
fr 2 = √ = √ = 1.7 MHz
L = 2 mH. 2π LC20 2π 2 mH 4.4 pF

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 14 / 15

 A Typical Application of Varactors.

End of Lecture

Best Wishes

[email protected]

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 15 / 15