Chapter 2:

Diode Applications
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Load-Line Analysis
2
The load line plots all possible
combinations of diode current (I
D
)
and voltage (V
D
) for a given circuit.
The maximum I
D
equals E/R, and
the maximum V
D
equals E.

The point where the load line and
the characteristic curve intersect is
the Q-point, which identifies I
D
and
V
D
for a particular diode in a given
circuit.
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Series Diode Configurations
Constants
Silicon Diode: V
D
= 0.7 V
Germanium Diode: V
D
= 0.3 V

Analysis (for silicon)
V
D
= 0.7 V (or V
D
= E if E < 0.7 V)
V
R
=E V
D
I
D
=I
R
=I
T
=V
R
/ R
3
Forward Bias
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Series Diode Configurations
Diodes ideally behave as open circuits

Analysis
V
D
=E
V
R
= 0 V

I
D
= 0 A
4
Reverse Bias
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Parallel Configurations
5
mA 14
2
mA 28
D2
I
D1
I
mA 28
.33k
V .7 V 10
R
D
V E
R
I
V 9.3
R
V
V 0.7
O
V
D2
V
D1
V
V 0.7
D
V

Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Half-Wave Rectification
6
The diode only
conducts when it is
forward biased,
therefore only half
of the AC cycle
passes through the
diode to the
output.
The DC output voltage is 0.318V
m
, where V
m
= the peak AC voltage.
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
PIV (PRV)
7
Because the diode is only forward biased for one-half of the AC cycle, it is
also reverse biased for one-half cycle.

It is important that the reverse breakdown voltage rating of the diode be
high enough to withstand the peak, reverse-biasing AC voltage.

PIV (or PRV) > V
m

PIV = Peak inverse voltage
PRV = Peak reverse voltage
V
m
= Peak AC voltage
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Full-Wave Rectification
8
Half-wave: V
dc
= 0.318V
m

Full-wave: V
dc
= 0.636V
m
The rectification process can be improved by
using a full-wave rectifier circuit.

Full-wave rectification produces a greater
DC output:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Full-Wave Rectification
9
Bridge Rectifier

Four diodes are connected in a
bridge configuration
V
DC
= 0.636V
m

Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Full-Wave Rectification
10
Center-Tapped Transformer
Rectifier

Requires
Two diodes
Center-tapped transformer

V
DC
= 0.636V
m

Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Summary of Rectifier Circuits
11
V
m
= peak of the AC voltage.

In the center tapped transformer rectifier circuit, the peak AC voltage
is the transformer secondary voltage to the tap.
Rectifier Ideal V
DC
Realistic V
DC
Half Wave Rectifier V
DC
= 0.318V
m
V
DC
= 0.318V
m
0.7
Bridge Rectifier V
DC
= 0.636V
m
V
DC
= 0.636V
m
2(0.7 V)
Center-Tapped Transformer
Rectifier
V
DC
= 0.636V
m
V
DC
= 0.636V
m
0.7 V
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Diode Clippers

12
The diode in a series clipper clips
any voltage that does not forward
bias it:
A reverse-biasing polarity
A forward-biasing polarity less than
0.7 V (for a silicon diode)
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Biased Clippers
13
Adding a DC source in
series with the clipping
diode changes the
effective forward bias of
the diode.
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Parallel Clippers
14
The diode in a parallel clipper
circuit clips any voltage that
forward bias it.

DC biasing can be added in
series with the diode to change
the clipping level.
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Summary of Clipper Circuits
15
more
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Summary of Clipper Circuits
16
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Clampers
17
A diode and capacitor can be
combined to clamp an AC
signal to a specific DC level.
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Biased Clamper Circuits
18
The input signal can be any type
of waveform such as sine, square,
and triangle waves.

The DC source lets you adjust
the DC camping level.

Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Summary of Clamper Circuits
19
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Zener Diodes
20
The Zener is a diode operated
in reverse bias at the Zener
Voltage (V
z
).
When V
i
V
Z
The Zener is on
Voltage across the Zener is V
Z

Zener current: I
Z
= I
R
I
RL
The Zener Power: P
Z
= V
Z
I
Z

When V
i
< V
Z
The Zener is off
The Zener acts as an open circuit
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Zener Resistor Values
21
ZK R L
I I I
min
min
max

L
Z
L
I
V
R
min
max
L
Z
L
L
L
R
V
R
V
I
Z i
Z
L
V V
RV
R

min
If R is too large, the Zener diode cannot conduct because the available amount of
current is less than the minimum current rating, I
ZK
. The minimum current is
given by:
The maximumvalue of resistance is:
If R is too small, the Zener current exceeds the maximum current
rating, I
ZM
. The maximum current for the circuit is given by:
The minimumvalue of resistance is:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Voltage-Multiplier Circuits
Voltage Doubler
Voltage Tripler
Voltage Quadrupler
22
Voltage multiplier circuits use a combination of diodes and
capacitors to step up the output voltage of rectifier circuits.

Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Voltage Doubler
23
This half-wave voltage doublers output can be calculated by:

V
out
= V
C2
= 2V
m

where V
m
= peak secondary voltage of the transformer

Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Voltage Doubler
24
Positive Half-Cycle
o D
1
conducts
o D
2
is switched off
o Capacitor C
1
charges to V
m

Negative Half-Cycle
o D
1
is switched off
o D
2
conducts
o Capacitor C
2
charges to V
m

V
out
= V
C2
= 2V
m


Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Voltage Tripler and Quadrupler
25
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Practical Applications
Rectifier Circuits
Conversions of AC to DC for DC operated circuits
Battery Charging Circuits

Simple Diode Circuits
Protective Circuits against
Overcurrent
Polarity Reversal
Currents caused by an inductive kick in a relay circuit

Zener Circuits
Overvoltage Protection
Setting Reference Voltages


26