Diodes Waveform shaping Circuits

Lecture notes: page 2-20 to 2-31 Sedra & Smith (6th Ed): Sec. 4.5 & 4.6 Sedra & Smith (5th Ed): Sec. 3.5 & 3.6

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Two-port networks as building blocks

Recall: Transfer function of a two-port network can be found by solving this circuit once.

Concept of input resistance can be used to find vi/vsig (will be discussed in transistor amplifier section)! We focus on finding transfer function, vo vs vi (circuit below) o Open-loop Transfer function (RL or io = 0)

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Rectifier Circuit
KCL : KVL : io = iD vi = vD + vo vo = vi vD Law : iD = vo / RL
Diode OFF : iD = 0 and vD < VD 0 vo = RL iD = 0 vD < VD 0 Diode ON : vi vo = vi < VD 0 vD = VD 0 and iD 0

vo = vi vD = vi VD 0 iD = vo / RL 0 vo = vi vD 0 vi VD 0 For vi VD 0 , Diode ON
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and

vo = vi VD 0 vo = 0

For vi < VD 0 , Diode OFF and

Rectifier Circuit: vo is the positive portion vi

For vi VD 0 , Diode ON and vo = vi VD 0 vo = 0 For vi < VD 0 , Diode OFF and

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Application of Rectifier Circuit: AC to DC convertor for power supply

Half-wave rectifier (only converts half of AC input to DC value)

Full-wave rectifier (converts all of AC input to DC value)

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Each pair of diodes conduct only for half of the cycle

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Clipper or Limiter Circuit (open-loop transfer function)

Diode OFF : iD = 0 and vD < VD 0

Diode ON :

vD = VD 0

and

iD 0

vi = R 0 + vo vo = vi vD < VD 0 vi < VD 0 For vi VD 0 , Diode ON

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vo = VD 0 iD = (vi VD 0 ) / R 0
and vo = VD 0 vo = vi

vi VD 0

For vi < VD 0 , Diode OFF and

Clipper Circuit does not allow vo > VD0 to go through

For vi VD 0 , Diode ON and vo = VD 0 vo = vi For vi < VD 0 , Diode OFF and

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Impact of RL is discussed as an exercise problem

Rectifier & clipper circuits are the same but vo is taken at different locations
Half-wave Rectifier

Clipper

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Clipper circuit limits vo when the diode is ON

By adjusting VD0 we can adjust limiting voltage!

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Limiting voltage can be adjusted

vo limited to VD0 + VDC

vo limited to VD0 + VZ

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Bottom portion of signal can also be clipped

vo limited to VD0 VDC

vo limited VD0 VZ

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Both top & bottom portions of the signal can be clipped simultaneously
vo limited to VD0 + VDC1 and VD0 VDC2

vo limited to VD0 + VZ1 and VD0 VZ2

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Ideal Peak Detector Circuit

Because vc cannot change suddenly, the state of diode will depend not only on vi but also on the history of the circuit (e.g., dvi/dt , vc at certain times,)

Diode OFF : iD = 0 and vD < VD 0

Capacitor does not charge or discharge! vc (t) = vc0 where vc0 is the capacitor voltage at the moment diode turned OFF! vo = vc 0 = const. vD = vi vc < VD 0 vi < vc 0 + VD 0
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Ideal Peak Detector Circuit

(open-loop transfer function)
and iD 0

Diode ON :

vD = VD 0

vo = vc = vi VD 0 dvc d (vi VD 0 ) dv =C =C i dt dt dt dvi 0 iD = ic 0 dt iD = ic = C

For dvi /dt 0 & vi = vc + VD 0 : Diode ON , vo = vc = vi VD 0 For vi < vc + VD 0 : Diode OFF, vo = vc 0 = const

Because state of diode depends on vc , we cannot produce a universal plot vo vs vi

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Response of the Ideal Peak Detector (1)

For dvi /dt 0 & vi = vc + VD 0 : Diode ON , vo = vc = vi VD 0 For vi < vc + VD 0 : Diode OFF, vo = vc 0 = const

For t > 0, dvi/dt > 0.

Start at t = 0 with vc= 0 For vi < vc0 + VD0 = VD0 , diode remains OFF. o v o = vc0 = 0

When vi = vc0 + VD0 = VD0 , diode turns ON (since dvi/dt > 0) Capacitor starts to charge and vc tracks vi o vo = vc = vi - VD0

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Response of the Ideal Peak Detector (2)

For dvi /dt 0 & vi = vc + VD 0 : Diode ON , vo = vc = vi VD 0 For vi < vc 0 + VD 0 : Cap continue to charge until vi = V + (vc = V + - VD0 ) Afterward vi starts to decrease (dvi/dt < 0) and diode turns OFF. o vo = vc0 = V + VD0 Diode OFF, vo = vc 0 = const Even when vi starts to increase (dvi/dt > 0) diode remains OFF as vo < vc0 + VD0 Diode turns ON vi = V + and immediately turns OFF vi starts to decrease (dvi/dt < 0) o vc0 + VD0 = V + VD0 +VD0 = V + !

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Response of the Ideal Peak Detector (3)

vo is the peak value of input waveform (V + VD0 ): Peak Detector o Note vo did not drop after the peak was decreased in the 3rd cycle.

Exercise: Show that if the diode direction is reversed, circuit detects the negative peak value, V (i.e., lowest voltage of the wave form which should be negative)
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Practical Peak Detector Circuit (1)

A resistor is added in parallel to the capacitor! (It can be the load for the circuit)

Diode OFF : iD = 0 and vD < VD 0

Capacitor discharges into the resistor with a time constant of = RC

vo = vc (t ) = vc 0 exp[ - (t t0 )/ ] vD = vi vc < VD 0 vi < vc (t ) + VD 0

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Practical Peak Detector Circuit (2)

Diode ON : vD = VD 0 and iD 0

vo = vc = vi VD 0 dvc d (vi VD 0 ) dv =C =C i dt dt dt dvi 0 iD = ic 0 dt iD = ic = C

For dvi /dt 0 &, vi = vc + VD 0 : Diode ON , vo = vc = vi VD 0 For vi < vc + VD 0 : Diode OFF, vo = vc (t ) = vc 0 exp[ - (t t0 )/ ]

F. Najmabadi, ECE65, Winter 2012

Response of the Practical Peak Detector (1)

For dvi /dt 0 &, vi = vc + VD 0 : Diode ON , vo = vc = vi VD 0 For vi < vc + VD 0 : Diode OFF, vo = vc (t ) = vc 0 exp[ - (t t0 )/ ]

For t > 0, dvi/dt > 0.

Start at t = 0 with vc= 0 For vi < vc0 + VD0 = VD0 , diode remains OFF. o v o = vc0 = 0

When vi = vc0 + VD0 = VD0 , diode turns ON (since dvi/dt > 0) Capacitor starts to charge and vc tracks vi o vo = vc = vi - VD0

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Response of the Practical Peak Detector (2)

For dvi /dt 0 &, vi = vc + VD 0 : Diode ON , vo = vc = vi VD 0 For vi < vc + VD 0 : Cap continue to charge until vi = V + (vc = V + - VD0 ) Afterward vi starts to decrease (dvi/dt < 0) and diode turns OFF. Capacitor discharges: vo = vc (t ) = vc 0 exp[ - (t t0 )/ ] Diode OFF, vo = vc (t ) = vc 0 exp[ - (t t0 )/ ] Even when vi starts to increase (dvi/dt > 0) diode remains OFF as long as vo < vc + VD0 Diode turns ON when vi = vc + VD0 and charges capacitor until vi = V + is reached)

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Response of the Practical Peak Detector (3)

Shape of output signal depends on the ratio of /T ideal peak detector: /T Good peak detector: /T >> 1 As /T decreases, the circuit departs from a peak detector. For /T << 1, capacitor discharges very fast and circuit resembles a rectifier circuit Decreasing /T

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Peak detector is used in AM receivers

Carrier wave amplitude is modulated with the sound data (sound signal is the envelop of the carrier wave)

Tcarrier << = RC << Tsound

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Peak-Detector with a load

A clipper circuit with a load RL is similar to the open-loop clipper with R R || RL

Examples of Design Choices: As a peak detector (want /T ) R is NOT needed and we should set C RL to be large (>>T). o Peak detector circuit is used to smooth out the output voltage of a rectifier for the power supply circuit (Need a large C!). For applications such as AM receiver when the peak detector is used as separate the signal from a carrier, R and C should be chosen such that Tcarrier << = RC << Tsound and R << RL
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Clamp Circuit
Ideal peak detector: vo = vc = V + VD0 Clamp circuit: vo = vD

vc = V + VD 0 vo = vD = vi vc = vi (V + VD 0 ) vo is equal to vi but shifted downward by (V + VD0)

If amplitude of vi (V + ) changes, the shift would changes and vo becomes distorted!

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Clamp Circuit with a Load

Capacitor charges when the diode is ON: vc = V + VD0 Capacitor remains charged when diode is OFF.

Capacitor charges when the diode is ON: vc = V + VD0 Capacitor discharges into RL when diode is OFF. As long as = RLC >> T capacitor discharges little and clamp circuits works fine!

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Voltage shift in a clamp circuit can be adjusted!

vA = vi VDC V + : peak of vi

Peak detector circuit: vc = V +A VD0

vc = V + VDC VD 0 vo = vi vc = vi (V + VDC VD 0 ) vo is equal to vi but shifted downward by (V + VDC VD0)

V +A : peak of vA

vc = V + VDC VD0

V +A = V + VDC

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vo = vi (V + VZ VD 0 )

Clamp circuit can also introduce a positive shift

Peak detector (diode is reversed): vo = vc = (V VD0) Clamp circuit (diode reversed): v o = vD

vc = (V VD 0 ) vo = vD = vi vc = vi + (V VD 0 ) vo is equal to vi but shifted upward by (V VD0)

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The positive shift can also be adjusted.

vo = vi + (V VDC VD 0 )

vo = vi + (V VZ VD 0 )

How to find response of clipper or clamp circuits:

Assume diode is ON and calculate vc . o If vc = +vi , replace vi with V+ (peak positive value)

o If vc = vi , replace vi with V (peak negative value)

If clipper, vo = vc . If Clamp, use KVL to find vo (e.g., , vo = vi vc )

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