Salahaddin University

Engineering College
Electrical Department
First Year

Principles of Electronics
Chapter Three
Diode Applications
By: Hemin Ali Qadir
2016
OUTLINES
Part I:
Rectifiers
Half-wave Rectifier
Full-wave Rectifier
The Basic DC Power Supply
All active electronic devices require a source of constant dc that
can be supplied by a battery or a dc power supply.
The dc power supply converts the standard 220 V, 50 Hz ac voltage
available at wall outlets into a constant dc voltage.
A basic block diagram of the complete power supply is shown below

220 V, 50 Hz
Rectifiers
The rectifier converts the ac input voltage to a pulsating dc
voltage, called a rectified voltage.
There are two types of rectifiers half-wave rectifier and full-wave
rectifier.

Half wave
rectifier
Half-Wave Rectifiers
Lets consider the circuit shown below, and a sinusoidal input is
applied vi
For the moment, we will use the ideal model.
Half-Wave Rectifiers
Half-Wave Rectifiers
Half-Wave Rectifiers
Average Value (DC) of the Half-Wave Output Voltage
The process of removing one-half the input signal to establish a dc
level is called half-wave rectification.
Mathematically, Vdc is determined by finding the area under the
curve over a full cycle.
Vm

1 2
= = 0
where = sin(2)
2

=

Half-Wave Rectifiers
Effect of the Barrier Potential on the Half-Wave Rectifier Output
In the previous discussion, the diode was considered ideal.
When the practical diode model is used with the barrier potential
of 0.7 V taken into account, this is what happens.

VD = 0.7 V

VD

=

where = 0.7 (Si)or 0.3 (Ge)
Half-Wave Rectifiers
Example:
a. Sketch the output vo and determine the dc level of the output
voltage for the network of the following Figure.
b. Repeat part (a) if the ideal diode is replaced by a silicon diode.
Full-Wave Rectifiers
Although half-wave rectifiers have some applications, the full-wave
rectifier is the most commonly used type in dc power supplies.
We will study two most common type of full-wave rectifiers which are:
1. Bridge Full-Wave Rectifier
2. Center-Tapped Full-Wave Rectifier
Full-Wave Rectifiers
Bridge Full-Wave Rectifier.
The most familiar network for performing the rectification is the
bridge full-wave rectifier.
The figure of bridge full-wave rectifier with its four diodes is shown.
Full-Wave Rectifiers
Bridge Full-Wave Rectifier.
Full-Wave Rectifiers
Bridge Full-Wave Rectifier.
Input and output waveforms for a full-wave rectifier.

=2 = 0.636

Full-Wave Rectifiers
Bridge Full-Wave Rectifier.
If silicon rather than ideal diodes are employed as shown in
figure below, an application of Kirchhoffs voltage law
around the conduction path would result in
= 0
= 2

Therefore the peak value of the output voltage vo is

= 2
2
= 2

= 0.636 2
Full-Wave Rectifiers
Center Tapped Full-Wave Rectifier.
The center tapped full-wave rectifier circuit is shown below.
Full-Wave Rectifiers
Center Tapped Full-Wave Rectifier.
How it works?

Network conditions for

the positive region of vi.

Network conditions for

the negative region of vi.
Full-Wave Rectifiers
Center Tapped Full-Wave Rectifier.
=2 = 0.636

0.7
= 0.636

= 0
=
Full-Wave Rectifiers
Example
Determine the output waveform for the network of following figure
and calculate the output dc level.
OUTLINES
Part II:
Diode Clipper and Clamper
Diode Clipper
Diode Clamper
DIODE CLIPPERS
Diode circuits, called limiters or clippers, are sometimes used to
clip off portions of signal voltages above or below certain levels.
There are two types of clipper circuits:
Half-wave rectifier can be seen as specific type of series clipper
1. Series
2. Parallel (Positive & negative Clipper)

Half-wave rectifier can be seen as specific type of series clipper

DIODE CLIPPERS
Series Clippers
DIODE CLIPPERS
Series Clippers
Example:
DIODE CLIPPERS
Series Clippers
Example:
Determine the output voltage waveform for the circuit shown below
DIODE CLIPPERS
Parallel Clipper
Clipping of the positive alternation.

Clipping of the negative alternation.

DIODE CLIPPERS
Parallel Clipper
Example:
What would you expect to see displayed on an oscilloscope
connected across RL in the clipper shown in figure below
DIODE CLIPPERS
Parallel Clipper
The level to which an ac voltage is limited can be adjusted by
adding a bias voltage, VBIAS, in series with the diode, as shown in
Figure below.
The voltage at point A must equal VBIAS + 0.7 V before the diode will
become forward-biased and conduct.
Once the diode begins to conduct, the voltage at point A is limited
to VBIAS + 0.7 V so that all input voltage above this level is clipped off.
DIODE CLIPPERS
Parallel Clipper
In this case, the voltage at point A must go below (-VBIAS - 0.7 V) to
forward-bias the diode and initiate limiting action as shown.
DIODE CLIPPERS
Summery (Ideal diodes)
DIODE CLIPPERS
Summery
DIODE CLIPPERS
Example:
In the Figure below, it shows a circuit combining a positive clipper
with a negative clipper. Draw the output voltage waveform.
DIODE CLAMPERS
consists of diode, resistor, and capacitor.
shift an ac signal into a different dv level.
does not change peak-to peak value.
There are two types
Positive clamper

Negative clamper
DIODE CLAMPERS
The operation of this circuit can be seen by considering the first negative
half-cycle of the input voltage.
During Negative cycle
The diode is forward biased.
The capacitor starts to charge to near the peak of the input (Vp(in) 0.7)
DIODE CLAMPERS
During positive cycle
The diode is reverse biased.

DIODE CLAMPERS
Just after the negative peak, the diode is reverse-biased.
This is because the cathode is held near by the charge on the
capacitor.
The capacitor can only discharge through the high resistance of
RL.