Diode Circuits

By
Dr. Aref Eliwa
 References
[1] “Microelectronic Circuits”, Adel S. Sedra and Kenneth
C. Smith, fifth edition oxford university press, 2004.
[2] “Microelectronics Circuit Analysis and Design” Donald
A. Neamen, fourth edition, McGraw-Hill, 2010.
[3] “Electronic Devices”, Thomas L. Floyd, seventh
edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.
[4] “Integrated Electronic ”, Jacob Millman, Christos C.
Halkias, McGraw Hill, 1985.
[5] “ Art of Electronic”, Thomas C. Hayer, Paul Horowitz,
Cambridge university press, 1989.
Terminal Characteristics of Junction Diodes

Figure 1 The i–v characteristic of a diode.

The characteristic curve consists of three distinct regions:

1. The forward-bias region, determined by υ > 0

2. The reverse-bias region, determined by υ < 0

3. The breakdown region, determined by υ < -VZR

 The Forward-Bias Region

The forward-bias region, determined by υ > 0

Is = saturation current at a given temperature

scale current proportional to the cross-sectional
area of the diode order of 10-15 A for low-power
small-signal diode very strong function of temperature
(doubles for every 5 oC rise)

VT = kT/q = thermal voltage

k = Boltzmann’s constant =1.38 x 10-23 joules/kelvin

T = the absolute temperature in kelvins =273 +
temperature in oC
q = the magnitude of electronic charge = 1.60 x 10-19
coulomb
25 mV at 20 oC
n = 1~2 depending on the material and the physical structure
of the diode.

Example 1 : Calculate the forward-bias current in a pn junction. Consider a pn

junction at T = 300 °K in which Is = 5 X 10 -12 A and VD = 0.65 V
for i » Is

I1  I s e1 / nVT I2
I 2  I s e 2 / nVT
 e ( 2 1 ) / nVT
I1

I2
V2  V1  nVT ln
I1

2.3nVT = 60 mV for n=1, 120 mV for n = 2.

 Not knowing the exact value of n (which can be obtained from a simple
experiment), circuit designers use the convenient approximate number of 0.1
V/decade for the slope of the diode logarithmic characteristic.

* Threshold Voltage = Voltage drop: 0.7 V @1 mA for small signal diode, 0.7 V@1 A
for high power diode.

Figure 6 Illustrating the temperature dependence of the diode forward

characteristic. At a constant current, the voltage drop decreases by
approximately 2 mV for every 1C increase in temperature.
Example
A silicon diode said to be a 1-mA device displays a forward voltage of 0.7 V at a
current of 1mA. Evaluate the junction scaling constant Is in the event that n is either 1 or
2. What scaling constants would apply for a 1-A diode of the same manufacture that
conducts 1 A at 0.7 V?

Solution

For the 1-mA diode:

If n = 1: Is = 10e -700/25 = 6.9 X 10-16A, or about 10-15A
If n = 2: Is = 10e-700/5° = 8.3 X 10-10A, or about 10-9 A
The Reverse-Bias Region

The reverse-bias region, determined by υ < 0

i = -IS

The Breakdown Region

The breakdown region, determined

by υ < -VZR

VZR : The breakdown voltage, knee voltage,

Z stands for zener.
 The ideal Diode
Current-Voltage characteristic

The ideal diode a) diode circuit symbol, b) i-v characteristic, c) equivalent

circuit in reverse direction, d) equivalent circuit in forward direction
Figure 4 The two modes of operation of ideal diodes and the
use of an external circuit to limit the forward current (a) and the
reverse voltage (b).
Diode Logic Gate

Y=A∙B∙C
Y=A+B+C

(a) OR gate (b) AND gate (in a

positive-logic system).
Example 2
Assuming the diodes to be ideal, find the values of I and V in the shown circuit.
We don’t know whether none, one, or both diodes are conducting.
Make a plausible assumption, proceed with the analysis, and then
check whether we end up with a consistent solution !

(a) Assume that both diodes are conducting.

10  0
VB = 0, V = 0 I D2   1 mA
10
VB  ( 10)
Writing a node equation at B, I  I D2 
5

0  ( 10)
I 1 , I  1 mA, V =0 V
5
(b) Assume that both diodes are conducting.

10  0
VB = 0, V = 0 I D2   2 mA
5

Writing a node equation at B, VB  ( 10)

I  I D2 
10

0  ( 10)
I2 , I  1 mA Impossible !!
10

Assume that D1 is off, and D2 is on.

10  ( 10)
I D2   1.33 mA VB   10  10  1.33   3.3 V
15

I  0, V  3.3 V
Modeling the diode Forward Characteristic

The Exponential Model

ID=? VD=?

How to solve this simultaneous equations ?

Graphical Analysis
 Iterative Analysis

Example
Determine the current ID and the diode voltage VD for the circuit in Fig.1.20 with VDD = 5
V and R = 1 kΩ. Assume that the diode has a current of 1 mA at a voltage of 0.7 V, and
that its voltage drop changes by 0.1 V for every decade change in current

2.3 nVT = 0.1 V; then

Substituting V1 = 0.7 V, I1 = 1 mA, and I2 = 4.3 mA results in V2 = 0.763 V. Thus the
results of the first iteration are ID = 4.3 mA and VD = 0.763 V.

Thus, the second iteration yields ID = 4.237 mA and vd = 0.762 V.

Since these values are not much different from the values obtained after the first
iteration, no further iterations are necessary, and the solution is ID = 4.237 mA and
VD = 0.762 V.
The Piecewise-Linear model

the piecewise-linear
model.
 the constant-voltage-drop model

The Constant-Voltage-Drop model

Rectifier Circuit – one of the most important applications of
diodes- dc power supplies

Power
transforme
r

The dc voltage VO is required to be as constant as possible in spite of variations in the ac line

voltage and in the current drawn by the load.
Power transformer : 1. V2=(N2/N1)V1
Electrical isolation between the electronic devices and the power-line circuit.
This isolation minimizes the risk of electric shock to the equipment user.

Diode rectifier : convert the input sinusoid υS to a unipolar output.

Filter : reducing the variations in the magnitude of the rectifier output.

Voltage regulator : 1.reducing ripple

2. Stabilizing the magnitude of the dc output voltage of the supply against variations
caused by changes in load current.
3. Circuit using zener diode or IC regulator (7805, 7915)
The Half-Wave Rectifier
Peak Invers Voltage
PIV = Vs
The Full-Wave Rectifier

PIV = 2Vs  V D
 The Bridge Rectifier

 D 3 (revers) =  O +  D 2 (forward)

PIV = Vs  2VD  VD  Vs  VD

When vS is positive, D1 and

D2 are turned on. When vS is
negative, D3 and D4 are
turned on.
In either case, current flows
through R in the same
direction, resulting in an
output voltage, vO, shown in
(b).
 The Rectifier with a Filter Capacitor

the diode current (when it is conducting)

The current iL is almost constant and its dc component IL is given by

VP
IL 
R

Amore accurate for output dc voltage can be obtained;

Vo = VP – 0.5 Vr

Where

Vp
Vr 
fcr
The average diode current is

The peak diode current is

The conduction interval ∆t

Example
Consider a peak rectifier fed by a 60-Hz sinusoid having a peak value Vp = 100 V.
Let the load resistance R = 10 kΩ. Find the value of the capacitance C that will result
in a peak-to-peak ripple of 2 V. Also calculate the fraction of the cycle during which
the diode is conducting, and the average and peak values of the diode current.

Solution

The conduction angle ω∆t is found from

The average diode current is obtained from

 where IL = 100/10 = 10 mA

The peak diode current is found ;

 Waveforms in the full-wave peak rectifier

Vp
Vr  (3.33)
2 fCR The most important design
i Dav  I L (1   V p / 2Vr ) (3.34) parameters !!
i D max  I L (1  2 V p / 2Vr ) (3.35)

PIV = 2Vs  V D : for full wave rectifier

PIV  Vs  VD : for bridge rectifier
Thanks