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S.C.

Petersen, EE171L ver 1_ MR 2016

University of California, Santa Cruz


Baskin School of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Analog Circuits Laboratory

EXPERIMENT 2: Small-Signal Diode Characteristics

I. Introduction
This laboratory experimentally determines two essential parameters found within the basic exponential diode
equation: ideality factor n, and saturation current or scale current I S . We will use the basic non-linear transfer
characteristics of a silicon junction diode to determine I S and plot the measured I D vs. VD to show graphically the
diodes inherent non-linear characteristic. Ideality factor n will be found by application of the small-signal model
where small-signal dynamic resistance rd will also be observed experimentally. After completing this work, you
should have a thorough understanding of the non-linear volt-ampere relationship in the diodes forward-bias region,
as well as how to operate the diode so a linear input-output relationship holds for small-signal applications.

II. General Circuit Discussion


Consider the following two well-known equations:

vD kT
[1] iD = I S e nVT 1 , where the thermal voltage VT = 25mV at room temperature.
q

nVT
[2] rd ; , dynamic ac small-signal diode resistance.
ID
The first equation describes the classic large-signal exponential relationship between the current through a junction
diode as a function of the voltage drop across it, while eqn.[2] is the small-signal dynamic (or AC) resistance the
diode exhibits when biased at a quiescent DC current I D . Remember, this second equation is an approximation
holding only for small time-varying AC, or small-signal, inputs limited to about 10mV in amplitude. The diodes
current then varies nearly linearly with the small voltage changing across it, so we can treat the behavior of the diode
as a linear resistor having r Ohms but only to the AC signal, not the DC bias V I . Another way of
d DQ DQ
looking at this is to always remember that r is really a function of the instantaneous diodes voltage and current,
d
and the small-signal condition approximates it as constant.

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S.C. Petersen, EE171L ver 1_ MR 2016

Fig. 1. Theoretical diode circuit.


Note: Re-draw this schematic in your engineering notes and make any experimental scribbles or annotations there.

Fig. 1 shows the theoretical circuit that we want to implement experimentally. This will allow us to take accurate
measurements. Ideal voltage source VB sets the DC bias point, VDQ , in diode D in series with load resistor RB . The
AC small-signal from the signal generator, vgen (t ) is summed at node X with the DC bias voltage VDQ . Blocking
capacitor C has the sole purpose of preventing any DC bias currents due to VB from flowing back into the AC
source; it provides DC isolation so the summing junction X is truly the independent superposition of the AC and DC
signals.

Series resistor R allows us to accurately measure the diodes small-signal resistance by forming a simple voltage
divider with rd . Fig.2 shows how this works with the equivalent small-signal AC circuit; the relevant voltage divider
equation is given by

rd
[3] vd (t ) = vgen (t ) , where Z C is considered negligibly small (how? By making C large).
rd + R

Fig. 2.Theoretical small-signal equivalent circuit..


Note: Re-draw this schematic in your engineering notes and make any experimental scribbles or annotations there.

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S.C. Petersen, EE171L ver 1_ MR 2016

A practical implementation of the theoretical circuit is shown in Fig. 3 below.

Fig. 3. Practical circuit implementation.


Note: Re-draw this schematic in your engineering notes and make any experimental scribbles or annotations there.

The op-amps provide a convenient way to realize the necessary isolations indicated in the theoretical circuit.
U1 functions as a unity-gain impedance buffer to isolate the unwanted effects of the signal generators output
impedance on the value of R1 . U 2 is used in a similar manner: diode current I D will be found by calculation from
the measured resistance of RB and the measured voltage drop across it for various settings or R4 . Without U 2 , the
effective resistance seen looking back into this branch would change whenever R4 was readjusted. Set he op-amp
supply rails somewhere between 10 and 15Volts. Keep track of their actual values and make sure they remain stable
as you go through the experiment (dont forget to bypass the supply pins). Finally, U 3 is used as a 26 dB non-
inverting amplifier to extend the low voltage range input of the oscilloscope if necessary. Note the non-inverting
gain configuration was chosen instead of the inverting configuration to prevent shunt loading the diode by providing
a very high load impedance. The polarized blocking capacitor, C, should be chosen have a very low reactance, so it
serves only to block DC and should have negligible effect on the AC voltage divider calculations noted in eqn. [2].

Take measurements to statistically estimate ideality factor n from a spread of different dynamic resistances and bias
current pairs. Tabulate your results and calculate the mean and standard deviation for n. Comment on these results.

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S.C. Petersen, EE171L ver 1_ MR 2016

Take DC measurements by varying the bias point to statistically estimate scale current I S . Use the ideality factor
determined earlier in your calculations, and tabulate the DC data and results for each point used to determine the
mean and standard deviation of the scale current. Comment on these results.

Experimentally confirm that 1 rd does indeed represent a line tangent to each bias Q-point. Show this by first
producing and accurate plot of your experimental DC data of I D vs VD . Then choose three points, two at the
extremes and one somewhere in the middle of the spread of rd (they must be actual measured values of rd ).
Accurately plot the dynamic resistance based on your graphs x-y units and note how accurately they represent
tangent secant lines. We know how these lines should appear from theory, but here we want to see if the lines drawn
only from actual data confirm what we theoretically expect.

II. Procedure

1. Determine the ideality factor n from different bias points using the small-signal equation [2].
A substitution procedure works best to accurately determine the dynamic resistance rd . Using carefully
measured fixed resistors or a variable potentiometer (accurately measured for each setting used). Substitute
them for the diode and adjust the signal generator for a 1kHz small-signal sinusoidal output less than about 10
mVpp as measured at the output of U1 . This will provide the necessary small-signal ac input required by the
diode. Use op-amp U 3 as a scope pre-amplifier if necessary (you can adjust the gain if necessary). With the
substitution resistor in place, let it be called RD , measure the ac voltage across it with the scope and DVM at
the output of U 3 . Then replace RD with the diode and carefully adjust the Q-point bias current I DQ until exactly
the same small-signal ac voltage is obtained. Use Ohms law to find I DQ from the drop across known resistor
RB . By substitution, it follows that rd = RD which can then be used to find n from eqn. [2].

2. Determine the current and voltage characteristics for the diode in the formward-bias region to determine
the scale current I S .
Simply vary VB from about 5mV to 10.0 Volts and record VB , VRB , and VD . I D can then be found by Ohms
law from VRB , and I S from eqn. [1] using the mean value of n you obtained in part 1 above. Be sure to take
enough points to construct an accurate graph of I D vs. VD .

3. Confirm suitability of the ac voltages used in the small-signal model.


Use the spectrum analyzer for this by qualitatively observing the harmonic content if a sinusoid greater than
10 kHz (so we can see the fundamental on the analyzer). If you leave U 3 in the circuit, be sure to account for
any low-pass filtering effects due to its closed-loop gain-bandwidth product. Discuss whether you think the
nominal 10 mV amplitude is appropriate. Is it too high, low, very conservative, etc.

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