1.

Diode Arrays
2. Diode Equivalent Circuits
3. Diode Circuits and Applications
1. Diode Arrays

➢ Diode arrays are assemblies of multiple diodes in

a single package.
➢ They share a common cathode or anode
➢ They are designed to simplify circuit design,
especially in applications where multiple diodes
are required to work in tandem.
1. Diode Arrays
1. Diode Arrays

➢ Diode arrays come in various configurations:

1. Series diode array: the anode of one diode is
connected to the cathode of the next.
2. Parallel diode array: all anodes connected
together and all cathodes connected.
3. Bridge diode array: four diodes arranged in a
bridge configuration.
4. Switching diode array: designed for fast
switching speeds.
1. Diode Arrays

➢ Applications of diode arrays are in:

i. protecting sensitive electronic equipment from
electrostatic discharge (ESD) and voltage
spikes
ii. multi-channel signal processing
iii. modern electronics, where they handle
multiple signals simultaneously.
iv. power management
v. voltage regulation.
1. Diode Arrays

➢ The use of diode arrays in circuits:

i. streamlines the design process
ii. enhances the reliability and performance of
electronic devices.
iii. reducing component count.
iv. minimize the parasitic inductance and
capacitance effects that can occur in individual
diodes
2. Piecewise Equivalent Circuit

➢ Piecewise equivalent circuit approximates the

characteristics of the device by straight-line
segments.
➢ We can represent the internal resistance of the
diode at forward bias, with a series resistance
connected in series with the diode
➢ The real diode exponential curve is replaced with
a linear curve.
➢ The ideal diode establishes that there is only one
direction of conduction through the device, and a
reverse-bias condition will result in the open-
circuit state for the device.
2. Piecewise Equivalent Circuit
2. Piecewise Equivalent Circuit
1. Simplified Equivalent Circuit

➢ Removing rav from the equivalent circuit as

it is sufficiently small to be ignored in
comparison to the other elements of the
network.
➢ It states that a forward-biased silicon diode
in a circuit under DC conditions has a drop
of 0.7 V across it in the conduction state at
any level of diode current
2. Simplified Equivalent Circuit
2. Simplified Equivalent Circuit
1. Ideal Equivalent Circuit

➢ Ignores 0.7 V of the diode in comparison to

the applied voltage level.
2. Ideal Equivalent Circuit
3. Diode Circuits and Configurations

a. Series Configuration

𝐸 = 𝑉𝐷 + 𝐼𝐷 𝑅
𝑉𝑅
𝐼𝐷 = 𝐼𝑅 =
𝑅
3. Diode Circuits and Configuration

Load-Line Analysis

𝐸 = 0 + 𝐼𝐷 𝑅 𝐸 = 𝑉𝐷 + 0
𝐸 𝑉𝐷 = 𝐸 ȁ𝐼
𝐼𝐷 = ቚ =0
𝑅 𝑉𝐷 = 0 𝐷
3. Diode Circuits and Configuration

b. Parallel Configuration
➢ Parallel diode configurations are used to increase
the current-carrying capacity of a single diode.
➢ By connecting multiple diodes in parallel, the
total current can be shared among them,
reducing the stress on each diode.
➢ The voltage across parallel elements is always
the same.
3. Diode Application (Rectification)

➢ All electronic circuits need a DC power supply

hence, many electronic equipment contain
circuits that convert the AC supply voltage into
DC voltage at the required level.
➢ The unit containing these circuits is called the
Linear Mode Power Supply (LMPS).
➢ This bidirectional AC voltage is converted into a
unidirectional pulsating DC using a rectifier.
3. Rectification
3. Rectification

➢ The unwanted ripple contents of this pulsating

DC are removed by a filter to get pure DC
voltage.
➢ The output of the filter is fed to a regulator
which gives a steady DC output independent of
load variations and input supply fluctuations.
3. Rectifier Circuits

Rectifiers
➢ Rectifier is defined as an electronic device used
for converting AC voltage into unidirectional
voltage.
➢ A rectifier utilizes unidirectional conduction
devices like a vacuum diode or PN junction
diode.
➢ Rectifiers are classified depending upon
the period of conduction as half-wave rectifier
and full-wave rectifier.
3. Characteristics of Rectifier Circuits

➢ The average value (the DC component or mean

value) of the output voltage is the mean of the
instantaneous values over one complete cycle of
the waveform.
1 𝑇
𝑉𝑑𝑐 = න 𝑉𝑖 𝜔𝑡 𝑑(𝜔𝑡)
𝑇 0
➢ The effective (or) R.M.S. value is the equivalent
DC value that would produce the same amount
of power as the AC signal over one complete
cycle:
1 𝑇 2
𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 = න 𝑉𝑖 𝜔𝑡 𝑑(𝜔𝑡)
𝑇 0
3. Characteristics of Rectifier Circuits

𝑃𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑉𝑚
➢ Peak factor = 𝑅𝑀𝑆 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 = 𝑉
𝑟𝑚𝑠
𝑅𝑀𝑆 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠
➢ Form Factor = 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 = 𝑉
𝑑𝑐
➢ Ripple factor: the ratio of the RMS value of the
AC component to the DC component in the
DC output is known as the ripple factor (Г)
𝑉𝑎𝑐
Г=
𝑉𝑑𝑐
2 2
𝑉𝑎𝑐 = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 − 𝑉𝑑𝑐

2
𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠
Hence, Г = −1
𝑉𝑑𝑐
3. Characteristics of Rectifier Circuits

➢ Efficiency (ƞ) : the ratio of DC output power to

AC input power.
𝑃𝑑𝑐
ƞ=
𝑃𝑎𝑐
➢ The peak inverse voltage (PIV) [or PRV (peak
reverse voltage)] rating of the diode is defined
as the maximum reverse voltage that a diode
can withstand without destroying the junction
during rectification
3. Characteristics of Rectifier Circuits

➢ Transformer Utilization Factor (TUF): the ratio

of the DC power delivered to the load to the
apparent power rating of the transformer used
in the circuit.
𝑃𝑑𝑐
TUF=
𝑃𝑎𝑐 (𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑)
➢ %Regulation: the percentage change in the
output voltage when the load varies from no-
load to full-load, relative to the full-load output
voltage.
𝑉𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 −𝑉𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
%Regulation = × 100
𝑉𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
3. Half-Wave Rectifiers

➢ It converts an AC voltage into a pulsating DC

voltage using only one-half of the applied AC
voltage.
➢ The rectifying diode conducts during one-half of
the AC cycle only.
➢ During the negative half cycle of the input
signal, the anode of the diode becomes negative
with respect to the cathode, and hence, diode D
does not conduct.
3. Half-Wave Rectifiers
3. Half-Wave Rectifiers
3. Half-Wave Rectifiers

The half-wave rectifier has the following

disadvantages:
➢ The ripple factor is high.
➢ The efficiency is low.
➢ The TUF is low.
 3. Full-Wave Rectifiers

➢ It converts an AC voltage into a pulsating DC

voltage using both half cycles of the applied AC
voltage.
➢ There are two types of full-wave rectifiers, viz (i)
full-wave rectifier with center tapped
transformer, and (ii) full-wave rectifier without
transformer (bridge rectifier).
➢ (i) uses two diodes of which one diode conducts
during one half-cycle while the other diode
conducts during the other half-cycle of the
applied AC voltage.
3. Full Wave Rectifiers
3. Full-Wave Rectifiers

➢ During the positive half of the input signal, the

anode of diode D1 becomes positive and at the
same time, the anode of diode D2 becomes
negative.
➢ During the negative half cycle of the input, the
anode of D1 becomes negative and the anode of
D2 becomes positive.
➢ Has better ripple factor, rectification efficiency, and
TUF compared to half-wave. Has no core
saturation problem.
➢ The only disadvantage is that it requires center
tapped transformer
3. Bridge Rectifiers

➢ Uses four diodes connected in a closed loop

"bridge“ configuration.
➢ During the positive half cycle of the supply,
diodes D1 and D3 conduct while diodes D2 and
D4 are reverse biased.
➢ During the negative half cycle of the supply,
diodes D2 and D4 conduct, but diodes D1 and
D2 switch "OFF" as they are now reverse-biased.
➢ The main advantage of this bridge circuit is that
it does not require a special centre-tapped
transformer, thereby reducing its size and cost.
3. Bridge Rectifiers
3. Voltage Multiplier Circuits

➢ Voltage-multiplier circuits are employed to

maintain a relatively low transformer peak
voltage while stepping up the peak output
voltage.
➢ A voltage doubler circuit increases the peak
output voltage to approximately twice the
peak input voltage.
➢ There are two main types of voltage doublers,
half-wave and full-wave.
3. Voltage Doubler
3. Voltage Doubler
➢ During the positive voltage half cycle, D1
conducts (and diode D2 is cut off), charging
capacitor C1 up to Vm.
➢ During the negative half-cycle diode D1 is cut
off and diode D2 conducts charging capacitor C2
resulting in an output voltage approximately
equal to 2Vm.
3. Voltage Doubler
3. Voltage Doubler
➢ In the full-wave doubler, during the positive
half-cycle D1 conducts, charging capacitor C1 to
a peak voltage Vm.
During the negative half-cycle, D2 conducts,
charging capacitor C2 to Vm .
➢ The output voltage is taken across both
capacitors in series, resulting in Vout≈2Vm
3. Voltage Tripler and Quadrupler
3. Voltage Tripler and Quadrupler

➢ During the positive half-cycle, D1 conducts

and charges capacitor C1 to the Vm.
➢ During the negative half-cycle, D2 conducts
and charges capacitor C2 to 2Vm.
➢ Finally, the output voltage is taken across C3,
which effectively adds its charge to the voltage
from C2, resulting in a tripled output voltage
(approximately 3 Vm.).
3. Voltage Tripler and Quadrupler

➢ During the positive half-cycle, D1 conducts

and charges capacitor C1 to Vm.
➢ In the negative half-cycle, diode D2 conducts,
charging capacitor C2 to Vm as well.
➢ D3 then adds the voltages of the capacitors in
sequence, creating an output that is
approximately four times the peak voltage of
the input.
Exercises

1.Derive the values for the characteristic parameters of

half and full wave rectifier circuits.
2.A half-wave rectifier, having a resistive load of 1000,
rectifies an alternating voltage of 325 V peak value and
the diode has a forward resistance of 100. Calculate (a)
DC power output (b) AC input power,
and (c) efficiency of the rectifier.
3.A full-wave bridge rectifier with a 120-V rms sinusoidal
input has a load resistor of 1 k.
a. If silicon diodes are employed, what is the dc voltage
available at the load?
b. Determine the required PIV rating of each diode.
Exercises

c. Find the maximum current through each diode during

conduction.
d. What is the required power rating of each diode?
4. Find the voltages and currents (VD, VR, ID) in the circuit
below:
(a) VS = +10 V
(b) VS = −10 V
(c) VS = +0.2 V
 Recommended Text

1. Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by Robert L.

Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky. Prentice Hall
Publications.
2. Electronic Devices, Circuits, and Applications by
Christopher Siu. Springer Nature Switzerland