Diodes, Amplitude Modulation, Diode Detection

The Diode

The cathode is n-type, and the anode is p-type

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Diodes, Amplitude Modulation, Diode Detection

The Diode characteristic regions:
Forward Conduction
V Vb
Diode conducts, allowing forward current
flow
Typical forward voltage Vb of a Silicon
diode is 0.6 to 0.7 V
Reverse biased
Vr V Vb
Diode is reverse biased
Small leakage current flows (reverse
saturation current)
Reverse breakdown
V Vr
Depletion region breaks down, and current tunnels through
Can destroy the diode for large reverse voltages.

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Diodes, Amplitude Modulation, Diode Detection

There are a number of diodes used in the Norcal40A
Silicon Diode used for rectification and in switches (1N4148)1
Small signal diode. Typical forward bias voltage is 0.6 to 0.7 volts
Schottky Diode reverse power supply voltage protection (1N5817)
The p-type anode is replaced with a metal substrate (typically Al, or Pt (platinum)
Forward bias voltage drops to about 0.2 volts
Zener Diode overload voltage protection of the power amplifier (1N4753)
Designed to operate in reverse breakdown region to keep voltage from
exceeding a pre-set value.
In the NorCal40A, the power amp designed to operate with ~ 36V across
the CE output. D12 (zener) limits the output voltage to not exceed the
maximum rated output of 40 V.
Varactor Diode as a variable resistance for the VFO circuit (MVAM108)
When reversed biased, the diode exhibits a junction capacitance that
can be varied in a predictable manner.
Thus, the diode can be used as a voltage controlled capacitor
On pg 364 of the text, the data sheet shows that the capacitance will
vary between 500 pF and 40 pF as the reverse voltage varies from -1 to
-9 V, respectively.

Note the 1N is used in to identify a diode, 2N is typically used for a transistor

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Diodes, Amplitude Modulation, Diode Detection

Amplitude Modulation and Demodulation
A simple circuit that can utilize the rectifying nature of a diode, is a detector circuit
for an amplitude modulated waveform
Modulation: the process of modifying a carrier signal so as to enable the transmission
of a signal at (or about) the carrier frequency
Amplitude modulated waveform:
v t Vc cos(2 f ct ) a t cos(2 f ct )

carrier

modulating
waveform

Amplitude modulated waveform:

Tm = period of the modulating waveform (assuming sinusoidal for simplicity)

Tc 1/ f c = period of the carrier. Typically, Tc Tm
Modulation depth: m a p / V p

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Diodes, Amplitude Modulation, Diode Detection

Diode Detector

A simple diode detector can be constructed to demodulate the amplitude modulated

signal

Vin

V0

This is a direct conversion detector

Note that the NorCal40A is a super-heterodyne receiver, and the demodulation is
a more complicated circuit. More on that later!
How the detector works:
Vin goes high. Once Vin > V0 , the diode forward
conducts. V0 then rises to Vin .
As Vin drops, the capacitor holds the voltage, and
the diode reverse biases
The capacitor discharges through the resistor with
time constant RC.
This causes a droop in the signal.
Next period, Vin goes high again
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Diodes, Amplitude Modulation, Diode Detection

The detector recovers the envelope of the modulated waveform, which is a(t).
The detector behaves more ideally when
Tc Tm
where, RC .
Note that the output approximates the desired signal a(t).
It is somewhat distorted due to the diode droop, and it has a DC offset
Problem 4:
Study of a diode detector for demodulating an amplitude modulated signal
AM signal is generated by the Agilent 33120A waveform generator
Select AM, then set the carrier frequency, amplitude. Then set the modulation
frequency and the modulation depth.
View the signal on the oscilloscope
Note, you cannot view both the envelope and the carrier frequency simultaneously
To measure droop
Overlay the input and output signals
Zoom in on the carrier frequency
If you cant trigger on the signal (you should be able to,
though), use stop to take a snapshot.
Measure the level the signal drops (max to min)
% droop = the ratio of (Vmax Vmin)/ Vmax = Vdroop / Vmax

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