Diodes

and
Applications
Prepared by:
Emily France M.
Balce

Semiconductor Diode
An electronic device that results from
the fusion of P-type material and an
N-type material

Formation of the Depletion Region

a.

Diffusion
movement of electrons from a
region of high concentration to
lower concentration

b.
At the junction, the electrons
from the
n-type and holes from the p-type
attract each other, combine and
C
A
cancel
their net charges

Junctio

c.
Due to the cancellation of
electrons and holes at the junction,
the junction will have no more carriers
so it is called a depleted region or
depletion region.
Depletion region

Practical diode
device with a
voltage

is a nonlinear
current versus

Barrier potential (0.7 for Si and 0.3 for

Ge )

To simplify the analysis of diode

circuits, diodes are assumed to be
Ideal.

Short circuit when forward biased

Open circuit when reverse biased

Biasing the PN Junction

a.Forward Biased
P-type is more positive than the Ntype
A condition that allows current to
flow through the pn junction
The pn junction narrows

b. Reverse Biased
P-type is more negative than the Ntype
A condition that prevents current to
flow through the pn junction
The pn junction widens

I. Applications
1. Diode Rectifier
Type of diode that converts
alternating
current
into
unidirectional current (DC)
Typically seen in power supplies
AC

Regulat
or
Rectifier

Filter

Power Supply

Half Wave
Rectifier
A rectifier

circuit with a single

diode that conducts current during
positive or negative half cycles of
input AC signal at a rate
determined by the input frequency.
Input

Output

Conversion factor = 40.6%

Freqoutput = Freqinput

Full Wave
Rectifier
A rectifier

circuit that conducts

current
during
positive
and
negative half cycles of input AC
signal.

Center
Tapped

Input

Output

Bridge Type

Input

Output

Conversion factor = 81.2%

Freqoutput = 2 x Freqinput

Comparison of Rectifiers
Half Wave

Center
tapped

Bridge Type

Vrms

Vpk / 2

Vpk / 2

Vpk / 2

Vave

Vpk /

2Vpk /

2Vpk /

Irms

Ipk / 2

Ipk / 2

Ipk / 2

Iave

Ipk /

2Ipk /

2Ipk /

PIV

Vpk

2Vpk

Vpk

EXAMPLES
1. The average value of a half wave
rectified voltage with a peak value
of 200 v is
2. When a 60 Hz sinusoidal voltage is
applied to the input of a half wave
rectifier, the output frequency is
3. The average value of a full wave
rectified voltage with a peak value
of 75 v is

EXAMPLES
4. When the peak output voltage is
100v, the PIV for each diode in a
center tapped full wave rectifier is
5. If the input voltage to a voltage
tripler has an rms value of 12 v,
the
DC
output
voltage
is
approximately
6. When a 60 Hz sinusoidal voltage is
applied to the input of a full wave
rectifier, the output frequency is

Filter
Smoothens the output waveform

Ripple Factor of a Rectifier

Ratio of the rms value of the AC
component of the signal to the
average value of the signal

r = Vr(rms) / Vdc
Vr(rms) = (Vrms exp 2 Vdc exp
2)exp 1/2
Vr(rms) = 0.385Vpeak for Half wave
Rectifier
Vr(rms) =
Rectifier

0.308Vpeak

for

Full

EXAMPLES
1. A certain power supply filter
produces an output with a ripple
of 100mV peak to peak and a DC
value of 20 v. The ripple factor is
2. Find the ripple factor of sinusoidal
signal with peak ripple of 4 volts
on an average value of 30 v.

Voltage
Regulation
Means maintaining

the

output

voltage at any load

The type of diode used
regulation is Zener diode
ID

Zener
Regulati
on

Iz min
Avalanch
e region

Iz max

for

Voltage Regulation
VR = V no load V full load / V full
load x 100%
Current Regulation
CR = I no load I full load / I full
load x 100%

EXAMPLES
1. A DC
at 50
when
is the

voltage supply is measured

volts and drops to 45 volts
the load is connected. What
value of voltage regulation?

2. What is the voltage regulation

when the full load voltage is the
same as the no load voltage
assuming
a
perfect
voltage
source?

2.

Clippers
Electronic circuits that have the
ability to clip off a portion of the
input signal without distorting the
remaining part of the alternating
waveform
Other
names
are
limiters,
amplitude selectors and slicers

Example of Clipper
Circuit

Input

Output

Example of Clipper
Circuit

Input
DC signal

Output

Analysis of Clippers - Short Cut

Method
1. Determine the output waveform without
the effect of the diode by
a. shorting the diode for series limiter
b. opening the diode for parallel limiter.
2. Determine the Clipping Line
a. For Series Limiter, the clipping line is at
the abscissa.
b. For Parallel Limiter, the clipping line is
the output reflection of the voltage source;
if there is no voltage source present, the
clipping line is at the abscissa.

Analysis of Clippers - Short Cut

Method
3. Inspect the position of the diode
a. For series limiters, if the arrowhead of the
diode is
i. pointing to the right, the output
waveform is above the clipping line.
ii. Pointing to the left, the output
waveform is below the clipping line
b. For parallel limiters, if the arrowhead of
the diode is
i. pointing upward, the output waveform
is above the clipping line.
ii. Pointing downward, the output
waveform is below the clipping line.

Analysis of Clippers - Short Cut

Method
4. For Double Diode Clippers, same procedure
for 1 and 2. The resulting waveforem is
between the 2 clipping lines.

3.

Clampers
Circuits that shift the waveform of
the input signal either all above or
below the reference voltage
Add or restore a DC level to an
electrical signal
Also known as DC restorer

Clamping circuit is often used in

television receivers as dc restorer.
Incoming composite video signal is
normally
processed
through
capacitively coupled amplifiers
that eliminate the dc component
losing the reference levels which
must be restored using clamping
circuits before applying to the
picture tube.

Example of Clamper
Circuit

Input
Vpk

Output

2Vpk

Positive Clamper

Analysis of Clampers - Short Cut

Method
1. Determine the Clamping Line as given by
the output reflection of the voltage source.
If there is no voltage source present, the
clamping line is at the abscissa.
Note: There should be no part of the waveform
to be either above or below the clamping
line.
2. Determine where the arrowhead of the
diode is pointing
a. upward, the waveform is above the
clamping line.
b. downward, the waveform is below the

4.

Voltage
Multiplier
Circuit which

produces a greater
DC output voltage than AC input
voltage to the rectifiers

Uses clamping action to increase

peak rectified voltages without the
necessity of increasing the inputs
transformers voltage rating
Used in high voltage, low current
applications such as TV receivers

Voltage Doubler
A voltage multiplier
multiplication factor of 2
C1

Vp

with

D2

D1

At the first negative half cylcle

D1 = forward bias
D2 = reverse bias
VC1 = Vp
VC = 2V

C2

Vo

At the first positivehalf cylcle

D1 = reverse bias
D2 = forward bias
VC1 = Vp
V = VC = 2V

Voltage Tripler
Addition of another diode
capacitor section to the half wave
voltage doubler creates voltage
tripler
The PIV of each diode is 2Vp

C1
Vp

3Vp

C3
D2

D2
C2

D3

Voltage
Quadrupler
The addition of still another diode
capacitor section
tripler circuit

in

voltage

The PIV of each diode is 2Vp

C1
Vp

C3
D1

D2
C2

D3

D4

C4

4Vp

II. Special Purpose

Diodes
1. Zener
Diode

Symbol

2.

Zener
Diode

Diode designed to operate in the

reverse
breakdown region
a. Zener breakdown
When
the
breakdown
voltage is below 5V
b.

Avalanche breakdown

When
the
breakdown
voltage is above 5V

 Typical breakdown voltages of

1.8V to 200V with specified
tolerances from 1% to 20%
With very stable voltage drop
Useful as voltage regulator

2.

Point Contact
Diode

2.

Point Contact
Diode

Semiconductor diode having fine

wire whose point is permanent
contact with the surface of a wafer
of a semiconductor material such
as silicon, germanium or gallium
arsenide
The fine wire is called
whisker

cat

For signal mixing and detection

3.

Schottky
Diode

Symbol

3.

Schottky
Diode

Also known as Surface Barrier

Diode
Also known as Hot
Diode

Carrier

This type of diode has no depletion

layer which eliminates the stored
charges in the junction
A rectifying metal semiconductor
junction such as gold, silver and
platinum

 Typical forward voltage drop is

typically around 0.25V to 0.3V
Can rectify frequencies up to 300
MHz
ESBAR
(Epitaxial
Construction of Schottky Diode
Barrier)
cathod
e

Schottky

anode
Metal Silicon
Junction

4.

Varactor
(varicap)

 Voltage-variable capacitor
When this diode is reverse bias,
the width of the depletion layer
increases with the reverse voltage
Used
for
electronic
harmonic
generator
parametric amplifier

tuning,
and

Symbol

where

f = frequency
Rs = series resistance
Ct = total diode
capacitance

5.

Tunnel
Diode

Symbol

5.

Tunnel
Also known as Esaki diode
Diode
Type of diode that exhibits the
phenomenon known as negative
resistance

Negative resistance implies

that an increase in forward voltage
produces a decrease in forward
current for a certain part

Utilizes a heavily doped material

and therefore have so many
electrons
Has a very thin depletion layer
The extremely narrow depletion
region emits electrons to tunnel
through the pn junction at very low
forward bias voltage

6.

Backward
Diode

Symbol

6.

Backward
Diode

Conducts better in the reverse (0.1V) than in the forward (+0.7V)

direction
Designed such that its high current
flow takes place when the junction
is reverse bias

7. PIN
Diode

Positive intrinsic Negative

Diode

The intrinsic material between the

P and N layer offers impedance at
microwave
frequencies
being
controlled by low frequency signals
Used in microwave switches

8.

Symbol

Light Emitting
Diode (LED)

8.

Light Emitting
Diode (LED)

In a forward biased LED, free

electrons cross the junction and
fall into holes. As these electrons
fall from higher to a lower energy
level, they radiate energy which
goes off in the form of heat. But in
an LED, the energy is being
radiated as light.

 Commonly
used
Arsenide,
Gallium
Phosphide,
and
Phosphide

Gallium
Arsenide
Gallium

GaAs LEDs emit infrared (IR)

radiation which is non visible,
GaAsP produces either red or
yellow visible light and GaP emits
red or green visible light

Red is the most common color of

LEDs

Electroluminescence is the
process involved when large
surface area on one layer of one
semiconductive material permits
the photons to be emitted as
visible light
Emitted Visible
Light
P

()
(+)
Metal
contact

Metal
contact

Irradiance is the power per unit

area at a given distance from an
LED source expressed in mW/cm2.

Typical voltage drop: 1.5V to

2.5V for currents between 10mA
and 50mA
Nominal Voltage drop: 2V
Reverse Breakdown: 3V 10V

9.

LASER
Diode

9.

LASER
Diode

The term LASER stands for Light

Amplification by Stimulated
Emission of Radiation
LASER light is monochromatic
meaning it consists of a single
color and not a mixture of colors
LASER light is also a coherent
light meaning a single wavelength

LASER Light (coherent and

monochromatic)

 LASER diode pn junction is formed

by two layers of doped gallium
arsenide
It is forward biased
LASER diodes and photodiodes are
used in the pick up system of
compact disk (CD) layers. Audio
information is digitally recorded in
stereo on the surface of a compact
disk in the microscopic pits and
flats

10.
Photodiode

Symbol

10.
Photodiode
Operated
condition

in

reverse

bias

Is one that is optimized for its

sensitivity to light
A window let light to pass through
the package of the junction. The
incoming light produces free
electrons and holes producing
larger reverse current.

Dark current is the reverse

current
flowing
through
the
photodiode when there is no

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

1.

The arrow in the schematic

symbol for a diode points which
way
a. towards the cathode
a. towards the
b. in the direction of the current flow
c.cathode
towards the anode
d. towards magnetic north

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

2. The anode of a semiconductor

diode indicates a __________ charge
during conduction
a. positive
b.
a.either, depending on the design
c. neutral
positive
d. negative

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

3. A point in the characteristic curve

of a diode where the current
suddenly rises
a. peak voltage
b. knee voltage
b. knee voltage
c. valley voltage
d. trigger voltage

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

4. The small value of direct current

that flows when a semiconductor
device has a reverse bias
a. surge current
b.
current
c.bias
reverse
c. reverse current
current
d.
current limit

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

5. In order to simplify a circuit, in

analysis and computation, the
diode is normally assumed as
__________.
a.b.
zero
ideal
b. ideal
c. imaginary
d. infinite

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

6.An external voltage applied to a

junction reduces its barrier and
aid current to flow through the
junction
a. reverse bias
d.
forward
b.
external
bias
c.bias
junction bias
d. forward bias

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

7. How does an ohmmeter behave if

its positive lead is connected to
the cathode of a diode while
negative to anode?
a. has infinite high resistance
a.
has
infinite
high
b. has unstable resistance
c.resistance
has very low resistance
d. has decreasing resistance

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

8. It is the maximum permissible

reverse voltage for the diode
a. peak reverse voltage
b.
voltage
a.barrier
peak
reverse
c. maximum voltage
voltage
d. tolerable voltage

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

9. Circuit that is used to eliminate or

portions of the input waveform
above or below a specified level
a. clamper
b.
clipper
b.
c. DC restorer
clipper
d.
multiplier

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

10. Which is not an application of

clipper?
a. circuit transient protection
d.
oscillation
b.
changing
the shape of the waveform
c. detection
d. oscillation

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

11. What is
clamper?

another

a. slicer
d.
DC restorer
b.
limiter
c. clipper
d. DC restorer

name

for

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

12. Circuit that is used to produce a

DC output voltage that is some
integral multiple of the peak of
the AC input voltage
a. integrator
d.
multiplier
b.
restorer
c. differentiator
d. multiplier

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

13. What is the process by which AC

is converted to pulsating DC?
a. charging
b.
rectification
b.
rectification
c. filtering
d. clipping

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

14. _________ is the output of a half

wave rectifier
a. half wave rectified signal
b.
signal rectified
a.square
halfwave
wave
c. 100% AC signal
signal
d. sinusoidal signal

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

15. How many diodes will you use to

have a basic half wave rectifier?
a. three
b.
four
d.
one
c. two
d. one

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

16. The four basic circuit blocks that

make up a power supply are
a. transformer, clipper, filter, regulator
b.
rectifier,
clamper, filter,rectifier,
regulator
d.
transformer,
filter,
c. transformer, rectifier, inverter, regulator
regulator
d. transformer, rectifier, filter, regulator

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

17. What is the ideal voltage

regulation of a power supply?
a. 0%
50%
a.b.0%
c. 100%
d. 1%

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

18. It is a type of transformer whose

secondary voltage is equal to the
primary voltage and used to
isolate electrically the power
supply from the AC power line
thus protecting the power supply
and the technician who is working
on it
a.d.
autotransformer
isolation
b. step down transformer
transformer
c. step up transformer
d. isolation transformer

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

19. Find the direct current voltage

from a full wave rectifier with
120V peak rectified voltage
a. 60V
b.
c.7.639V
c. 76.39V
76.39V
d. 6.0V

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

20. What is the maximum efficiency

of a half wave rectifier?
a. 50%
b.
40.6%
b.
c. 81.2%
40.6%
d. 100%

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

21. A half wave rectifier circuit

utilizing one half of an AC input
cycle have a ripple frequency in
its output equivalent to
a. 60 cps
a.
60
cps
b. 120 cps
c. 110 cps
d. 240 cps

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

22. Find the ripple factor (kr) of

sinusoidal signal with peak ripple
of 4V on an average of 30
0.094
a.a.
0.094
b. 0.013
c. 0.130
d. 0.940

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

23. It the remaining variation in the

output of a power supply filter
a. residual voltage
ripple
b.b.ripple
c. offset voltage
d. persistent voltage

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

24. A DC voltage supply is measured

at 50V and drops to 45V when the
load is connected. What is the
value of voltage regulation?
a. 5%
d.
11.11%
b.
50%
c. 60%
d. 11.11%

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

25. How much voltage regulation

does commercial power supply
have?
a. 10%
d.
within
1%
b.
10%
and above
c. 15% and above
d. within 1%

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

26. What is the voltage regulation

when the full load voltage is the
same as no load voltage
assuming
a
perfect
voltage
source?
a.b.
100%
0%
b. 0%
c. 1%
d. 10%

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

27. _________ is a type of linear

voltage used in application where
the load on the unregulated
voltage source must be kept
constant
a. a series regulator
d.
a shunt
b.
a constant
current source
c.regulator
a shunt current source
d. a shunt regulator

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

28. __________ is a type of linear

regulator used in applications
requiring efficient utilization of
the primary power source
a. a series regulator
a.a shunt
a series
regulator
b.
regulator
c. a constant current source
d. a shunt current source

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

29. It is the sudden current and

voltage spike that has a small
duration
a. transient
a.Vrmstransient
b.
c. peak voltage
d. VDC

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

30. It is the component that is used

to provide a discharge path for
the
capacitor
in
a
voltage
multiplier if the load opens
a. discharging path
d.
bleeder
b.
tuned
circuit
c.resistor
inductive path
d. bleeder resistor

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

31. How do you determine if a diode

is defective?
a. diode resistance is very low or very high
on either
direction
a. diode
resistance is very
b. high current
low or very high on either
c. very low current
direction
d.
high voltage

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

32. The term used to describe

sudden reverse conduction of an
electronic component cause by
excess reverse voltage across the
device
a. cut off
c.saturation
avalanche
b.
c. avalanche
d. reversion

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

33. How do zener diodes widely

used?
a. current limiter
c.variable
voltage
b.
resistors
c.regulators
voltage regulators
d. power collectors

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

34. __________ is a PN junction

semiconductor device that emits
non coherent optical radiation
when biased in the forward
direction, as a result of a
recombination effect.
a. LASER
c. LED
b. JUGPET
c. LED
d. optical cavity

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

35. What type of bias is required for

an LED to produce luminescence?
a. reverse bias
b.
bias
c.zero
forward
c. forward bias
bias
d. inductive bias

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

36. What special type of diode is

capable of both amplification and
oscillation?
a. point contact diode
d. tunnel
b. junction diode
c.diode
zener diode
d. tunnel diode

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

37.
Which
is
the
principal
characteristic of a tunnel diode?
a. a very high PIV
b.
a high
forward current rating
d.
a negative
c. a high forward resistance
resistance region
d. a negative resistance region

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

38. A high speed diode with very

small junction capacitance
a. silicon diode
b.
schottky
b.
schottky
c. germanium diode
d. tunnel

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

39.
Which
is
the
principal
characteristic of a varactor diode?
a. it has a very high PIV
b.
negative region
c.it has
its ainternal
capacitance
c. its internal capacitance varies with the
varies voltage
with the applied
applied
voltage
d.
it has a constant voltage under
conditions of
varying current

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

40. It is the factor by which the

capacitance
of
the
varactor
changes from one special value of
reverse voltage to another
a. capacitance factor
c.
capacitance
b. variance factor
c.ratio
capacitance ratio
d. reactance factor

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

41. A varactor diode with a high

capacitance ratio can be used in
a. tuning fork
b.
coarse
tuning
b.
coarse
c. phase tuning
tuning
d. fine tuning

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

42. It is a kind of a tuning circuit

that is used to vary the value of
the resonant frequency over a
wide range of frequencies
a. resonant circuit
d.
coarse
tuning
b.
band
wide circuit
c.circuit
fine tuning circuit
d. coarse tuning circuit

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

43. It is a diode whose central

material is made up of intrinsic
silicon sandwiched by p and n
type materials
a. PIN
a.
PIN
b. zener
c. schottky
d. tunnel

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

44. Type of diode that is made of

metal whisker touching a very
small semiconductor die
a.c.
a junction
point diode
contact
b. varactor diode
c.diode
point contact diode
d. zener diode

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

45. It is a circuit that uses two

diodes to provide DC output
voltage equal to twice the AC
voltage
a. voltage doubler
a. voltage
b. voltage regulator
c.doubler
voltage multiplier
d. all of these

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

46. Without a DC source, a clipper

acts like a
a. rectifier
a.clamper
rectifier
b.
c. demodulator
d. chopper

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

47. The main job of a voltage

regulator is to provide a nearly
__________ output voltage
a. sinusoidal
b. constant
b. constant
c. smooth
d. fluctuating

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

48. The average value of a half

wave rectified voltage with a
peak value of 200V is
63.7V
a.a.
63.7V
b. 127.3V
c. 141V
d. 0V

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

49. When the peak output voltage is

100V the PIV for each diode in the
center tapped full wave
rectifier is (neglecting the diode
drop)
a.b.
100V
200V
b. 200V
c. 141V
d. 50V

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

50. When the rms output voltage of

a full wave bridge rectifier is
20V, the peak inverse voltage
across the diodes is (neglecting
the diode drop)
a. 20V
c.40V
28.3V
b.
c. 28.3V
d. 56.6V

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

51. If the input voltage to a voltage

tripler has an rms value of 12V,
the
DC
output
voltage
is
approximately
a. 36V
b.
50.9V
b.
50.9V
c. 33.9V
d. 32.4V

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

52. A transformer giving secondary

voltage of 9V rms is used in a half
wave rectifier circuit. The peak
inverse voltage across the diodes
is
a. 9V
b.
13V
b.
13V
c. 18V
d. 26V

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

53. A certain power supply filter

produces an output with a ripple
of 100mV peak to peak and a
DC value of 20V. The ripple factor
is
a. 0.05
b.
b.
0.005
c.0.005
0.00005
d. 0.02

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

54. The ripple of a filter output

voltage with the following output
signal measurement of
VDC = 30V and Vrms = 1.5V is
a.c.
9.5%
5%
b. 95%
c. 5%
d. 50%

Review Questions

Diodes and
Applications

55. Find the voltage regulation

giving a DC voltage of 67V
without load and with full load
current drawn the output voltage
drops to 42V.
a.a.
59.5%
59.5%
b. 62.7%
c. 15.9%
d. 32.5%