EE 171

Diodes
(Chapter 3)

University of California, Santa Cruz

April 12, 2007
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Semiconductor diode.
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IV characteristic

Reverse bias

Forward bias

Volt-ampere characteristic for a typical small-signal silicon diode at a temperature of 300 K.

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Zener Diode
Deliberately designed to have low
breakdown voltage
Biased in breakdown regime
Apply a large negative current
Get a constant voltage
Application: voltage source, voltage
reference

Zener diode symbol.

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Load Line Analysis

(Diode voltage and current)

KVL: Vss I dR Vd = 0

Id =
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1
V
Vd + ss
R
R

Ideal Diode Model

(short circuit)

(open circuit)

Ideal-diode volt--ampere characteristic.

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Analyzing the diodes in a circuit

4 k

4 k

6 k

4 k

6 k

6 k

Analysis of a diode circuit using the ideal-diode model. See Example 3.3.
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Lets determine the diode states for the circuits given below

2 k
1 k

2 k

Circuits for Exercise 3.4.

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1 k

Rectifier Circuits
Used to convert AC signals into DC signals

Half-wave rectifier with resistive load.

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Large smoothing capacitance used to limit the ripples.

The bigger the capacitor is, the smaller the ripples are.
(waveforms next)

Half-wave rectifier with smoothing capacitor.

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Ripples are not desired. Ripple amplitudes depends on:

- Charging period
- Load current
IL T
C
=
- Size of smoothing capacitor.
Vr
Derived on p. 140
(discharge takes
about 1 period)
Want large C so
that Vr is small
(need VL = constant)

Half-wave rectifier with smoothing capacitor.

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Full-wave rectifiers
Better ripple performance
(smoothing capacitor is
recharged twice as much as halfwave one)
Discharge time = T/2
(lower C okay)

Transformer serves two purposes

Isolates AC signal from ground
Allows for a different DC
voltage (not necessarily the
amplitude of the AC signal)

Full-wave rectifier.
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Diode-bridge full-wave rectifier

Diode-bridge full-wave rectifier.

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Clipper Circuits
Chosen so that diode operating
point is in the mA range

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Diode A on

Diode B on

Transfer characteristics of clipper circuit

Clipper circuit.
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Zener Diode Implementation

The batteries are not practical in real applications
How do you implement a battery on an integrated circuit?
Solution: use a zener diode
Regular diodes also see a 0.6 v voltage drop when turned on
2 k

2 k

(two branches merged into one)

Circuits with nearly the same performance
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Hall3.15.
Inc.
asthe
circuit
of Figure

Exercise 3.7a: Applying Vin = 15 sin(t) to the circuit given in the

figure we obtain the waveform shown below.

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Exercise 3.7b: Applying Vin = 15 sin(t) to the circuit given in the

figure we obtain the waveform shown below.

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Diode Logic

Figure 3.23 Diode logic gates.

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Diode Dynamic Resistance

The dynamic resistance of a diode is the inverse of the slope
of the IV characteristic, evaluated at the operating point
di D
rd =

dv
D

vD
nV

i D = IS e T 1

The diode can be replaced with a resistor (R = rd) if the input

signal is a DC signal with a small AC component
Diode characteristic, illustrating the Q-point.

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Voltage Controlled Attenuator

The coupling capacitors are open circuit for dc signal, but
short circuit for ac signal
Only the inner part of the circuit is used to find the operating point
(DC analysis, capacitors are open circuit)
DC components in source and load
have no effect on the operating point
V =I R +V
C

+
VD

IDQ

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Variable attenuatorusing
diode asHall
a controlled
resistance.

DQ

Small-signal ac equivalent circuit

Short circuit capacitors
Battery (Vc) becomes a short circuit
Diode is replaced with a resistor
Value depends on operating point (Vc)
Value affects gain

A =

R L || rd || R C
R + ( R L || rd || R C )

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Hall for
Inc.the attenuator
Small-signal
ac2000
equivalent
circuit