Ministry of higher Education

and Scientific Research

Thi-Qar University
College of Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Department

Electronics
Third Stage 2024-2025

Lecture Three
Analysis of Diode Circuit

Taif Nabeel Muslim / M.Sc. Biomedical Engineering.

taifnabeel@utq.edu.iq
Analysis of Diode Circuits
Using the appropriate diode model, the circuit consisting of many diodes,
resistance and sources can be analyzed. The analysis starts by assuming
certain diodes ON and other diodes OFF. This assumption is based on
circuit inspection and polarities of sources connected in the circuit. Then
ON diodes must be replaced by a battery of voltage V, and a series
resistance rf. rf if is not known, it can be assumed zero. The OFF diodes
must be replaced by open circuits. Then the circuit becomes linear and can
be analyzed using Kirchhoff's laws. The assumption of ON diodes can be
verified from the directions of currents obtained by Kirchhoff's laws
analysis. If the direction of current obtained for a particular diode is reverse
i.e. from n to p for a diode, the assumption that diode is ON is incorrect. In
such a case, ON diode must be replaced by OFF and entire analysis of the
circuit must be done once again. The OFF state assumption of diodes can
be verified by calculating voltages across open circuits, used to replace
OFF diodes. If we get polarity of any such voltage in forward direction,
with magnitude greater than V. the assumption of OFF diode is incorrect.
In such a case, that diode must be replaced by ON state model, and once
again entire analysis must be done. If the voltages are in reverse direction
or in forward direction with magnitude less than V, the assumptions of OFF
diodes get justified. This method is used to analyze various complex diode
circuits.

Note: Thus by using model of a diode, the mathematical analysis of the

circuit can be done. which helps us to predict the circuit performance
before actually building and testing the diode circuit in the laboratory.

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 Semicondutor Diode

Semiconductor Diode
Problems and Solutions
Problem 1. An a.c. voltage of peak value 20 V is connected in series with a silicon diode
and load resistance of 500 Ω. If the forward resistance of diode is 10 Ω, find :
(i) peak current through diode (ii) peak output voltage
What will be these values if the diode is assumed to be ideal ?
Solution :
Peak input voltage = 20 V
Forward resistance, rf = 10 Ω
Load resistance, RL= 500 Ω
Potential barrier voltage, V0 = 0.7 V
The diode will conduct during the positive half-cycles of a.c. input voltage only.
The equivalent circuit is shown in Fig.1(ii)

Fig. 1

(i) The peak current through the diode will occur at the instant when the input voltage reaches
positive peak i.e. Vin = VF = 20 V.

(ii) Peak output voltage :

Ideal Diode Case:

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 Semicondutor Diode
Problem 2. Find the current through the diode in the circuit shown in Fig. 2 (i). Assume
the diode to be ideal.

Fig. 2

Solution :
We shall use Thevenin’s theorem to find current in the diode. Referring to Fig. 2(i),

Fig. 2 (ii) shows Thevenin’s equivalent circuit. Since the diode is ideal, it has zero resistance

Problem 3. Calculate the current through 48 Ω resistor in the circuit shown in Fig. 3 (i).
Assume the diodes to be of silicon and forward resistance of each diode is 1 Ω.

Fig. 3

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 Semicondutor Diode
Solution :
Diodes D1 and D3 are forward biased while diodes D2 and D4 are reverse biased. We can,
therefore, consider the branches containing diodes D2 and D4 as “open”.

Replacing diodes D1 and D3 by their equivalent circuits and making the branches containing
diodes D2 and D4 open, we get the circuit shown in Fig. 3 (ii). As we know for a silicon diode,
the barrier voltage is 0.7 V.

Problem 4. Determine the current I in the circuit shown in Fig. 4 (i). Assume the diodes
to be of silicon and forward resistance of diodes to be zero.

Fig. 4

Solution :
The conditions of the problem suggest that diode D1 is forward biased and diode D2 is reverse
biased. We can, therefore, consider the branch containing diode D2 as open as shown in Fig. 4
(ii).

Further, diode D1 can be replaced by its simplified equivalent circuit.

Problem 5. Find the voltage VA in the circuit shown in Fig. 5 (i). Use simplified model.

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 Semicondutor Diode

Fig. 5

Solution :
It appears that when the applied voltage is switched on, both the diodes will turn “on”. But that
is not so. When voltage is applied, germanium diode (V0 = 0.3 V) will turn on first and a level
of 0.3V is maintained across the parallel circuit.

The silicon diode never gets the opportunity to have 0.7 V across it and, therefore, remains in
open-circuit state as shown in Fig.5(ii).

Problem 6. Find VQ and ID in the network shown in Fig. 6(i). Use simplified model.

Fig. 6

Solution :
Replace the diodes by their simplified models. The resulting circuit will be as shown in Fig. 6
(ii).

By symmetry, current in each branch is ID so that current in branch CD is 2ID.

Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law to the closed circuit ABCDA, we have,
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 Semicondutor Diode

Problem 7. Determine current through each diode in the circuit shown in Fig. 7 (i). Use
simplified model. Assume diodes to be similar.

Fig. 7
Solution :
The applied voltage forward biases each diode so that they conduct current in the same
direction. Fig. 7 (ii) shows the equivalent circuit using simplified model. Referring to Fig. 7
(ii),

Problem 8. Determine the currents I1, I2 and I3 for the network shown in Fig. 8(i). Use
simplified model for the diodes.

Fig. 8
Solution :

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 Semicondutor Diode
As we can see in Fig. 8 (i) both diodes D1 and D2 are forward biased. Using simplified model
for the diodes, the circuit shown in Fig. 8 (i) becomes the one shown in Fig. 8 (ii).

Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law to loop ABCDA in Fig. 8 (ii), we have,

Problem 9. Determine if the diode (ideal) in Fig. 9 (i) is forward biased or reverse biased.

Fig. 9

Solution :
Let us assume that diode in Fig.9 (i) is OFF i.e. it is reverse biased.

The circuit then becomes as shown in Fig. 9(ii). Referring to Fig. 9 (ii), we have,

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 Semicondutor Diode

Now V1 – V2 = 2V is enough voltage to make the diode forward biased. Therefore, our initial
assumption was wrong, and diode is forward biased.

Problem 10. Determine the state of diode for the circuit shown in Fig. 10 (i) and find
ID and VD . Assume simplified model for the diode.

Fig. 10

Solution :
Let us assume that the diode is ON. Therefore, we can replace the diode with a 0.7V battery
as shown in Fig. 10 (ii). Referring to Fig.10 (ii), we have,

Since the diode current is negative, the diode must be OFF and the true value of diode current
is ID =0 mA. Hence our initial assumption was wrong.

In order to analyse the circuit properly, we should replace the diode in Fig. 10 (i) with an
open circuit as shown in Fig.10(iii).

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 Semicondutor Diode

Fig.10 (iii)

The voltage VD across the diode is :

We know that 0.7V is required to turn ON the diode. Since VD is only 0.4V, the answer
confirms that the diode is OFF.

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 Diode Circuits

Example
Calculate V0
V = 0.7 + IDR1 + 0.7 + IDR2

V - 0.7 - 0.7 = ID(R1 + R2)

ID = [V - (0.7 + 0.7) ] / (R1 + R2)

ID = 14.6 / (2000 + 1000)

ID = 4.9 mA

V0 = 0.7 + IDR2

V0 = 0.7 + 0.0049 x 1000 = 0.7 + 4.9 = 5.6 V

Exercise
Calculate V0 for V = 15 V, R1 = 2200 Ω, R2 = 3300 Ω

Answer: ID = 2.5 mA V0 = 8.9 V

Example
Calculate V0
+15 = 0.7 + IDR1 + 0.7 + IDR2 - 5

20 - 0.7 - 0.7 = ID(R1 + R2)

ID = 18.6 / (R1 + R2)

ID = 18.6 / (2200 + 3300)

ID = 3.38 mA

V0 = 0.7 + IDR2 - 5.0

V0 = 0.7 + 0.00338 x 3300 - 5.0 = 0.7 + 11.2 - 5.0 = 6.9 V

Exercise
Calculate V0 for V1 = +10 V V2 = -5 V
R1 = 1100 Ω R2 = 2200 Ω

Answer: ID = 4.1 mA V0 = 4.8 V

 Diode Circuits - continued

Example (Refer to the Diode Circuit Lecture Notes)

Calculate the Current ID

1. Remove Diode (Replace by VTH)

For Voltage Divider VTH = V [ R2 / (R1 + R2) ]

VTH = 16 [ 4700 / (5100 + 4700) ] = 7.67 V

2. Short Vsource (R1 in parallel with R2)

REQ = (R1 x R2) / (R1 + R2)

REQ = (5100 x 4700) / (5100 + 4700) = 2446 Ω

3. Redraw with VTH, REQ, Diode

VTH = IDREQ + VD ID = (VTH - VD) / REQ

ID = (7.67 - 0.7) / 2446 = 2.85 mA

Alternative Solution Method

VR2 = VD = 0.7 V

IR2 = VR2 / R2 = 0.7 / 4700 = 0.15 mA

IR1 = (V - VR2 ) / R1 = (16.0 - 0.7) / 5100 = 3.0 mA

ITotal = IR1

ID = ITotal - IR2 = 3.00 - 0.15 = 2.85 mA

Exercise

Calculate the Current ID

Answer: ID = 4.9 mA VD = 0.7 V

Scanned Images: Electronic Devices, Ali Aminian & Marian Kazimierczuk, Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2004