DIODES: APPLICATIONS Engr. Arvin B.

Aldover
I. Diode Clippers
There are a variety of diode networks
called clippers that have the ability to “clip”
off a portion of the input signal without distorting
the remaining part of the alternating
waveform.

A. Series Clipper. The diode in a series clipper

“clips” any voltage that does not forward bias
it: A reverse-biasing polarity
A forward-biasing polarity less than 0.7 V
(for a silicon diode)

Summary of Clipper Circuits

Biased Clippers

II. Clamper Circuits

A diode and capacitor can be combined to
“clamp” an AC signal to a specific DC level.

B. Parallel Clippers
The diode in a parallel clipper circuit “clips”
any voltage that forward bias it. DC biasing can
be added in series with the diode to change the
clipping level.

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DIODES: APPLICATIONS Engr. Arvin B. Aldover
III. Voltage-Multiplier Circuits • Battery Charging Circuits
Voltage multiplier circuits use a 2. Simple Diode Circuits
combination of diodes and capacitors to step up • Protective Circuits against Over
the output voltage of rectifier circuits. current
• Voltage Doubler • Polarity Reversal
• Voltage Tripler • Currents caused by an inductive
• Voltage Quadrupler kick in a relay circuit
3. Zener Circuits
• Overvoltage Protection
• Setting Reference Voltages

IV. Logic Gates

Logic gate is an idealized or physical
This half-wave voltage doubler’s output device implementing a Boolean function, that is,
can be calculated by: it performs a logical operation on one or more
Vout = VC2 = 2Vm logical inputs, and produces a single logical
where Vm = peak secondary voltage of the output.
transformer A. OR GATE
• Positive Half-Cycle
o D1 conducts
o D2 is switched off
o Capacitor C1 charges to Vm
• Negative Half-Cycle
o D1 is switched off
o D2 conducts
o Capacitor C2 charges to Vm
Vout = VC2 = 2Vm

Voltage Tripler and Quadrupler

Practical Applications
1. Rectifier Circuits
• Conversions of AC to DC for DC
operated circuits

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B. And Gate

A circuit breaker is an automatically

V. Power Supply
-is an electronic circuit that converts an ac line
voltage to a well-regulated lower –dc voltage for
electronic devices.
Purpose
Every Electronic circuit or devices needs
a DC power source such as 3V, 4.5V, 6V, 7.5V,
9V, 12V, etc. Provides protection like prevent
damaging surge voltage from reaching the
output Provide backup power during brown-out.
operated electrical switch designed to protect
an electrical circuit from damage caused by
excess current from an overload or short circuit.
Its basic function is to interrupt current flow after
a fault is detected. Unlike a fuse, which operates
once and then must be replaced, a circuit
breaker can be reset (either manually or
automatically) to resume normal operation.
In electronics and electrical engineering,
a fuse is an electrical safety device that operates
to provide overcurrent protection of an electrical
circuit. Its essential component is a metal wire
or strip that melts when too much current flows
through it, thereby interrupting the current
Note: Transformer is the most expensive to be
replaced.

Parts of Transformer
o Primary Winding
o Secondary Winding
o Core : usually laminated in thin sheets
Elements of a Power Supply which forms E and I. Silicon steel is
1. Transformer used.
- used to step-up or step-down the AC voltage
level and isolate the remainder of the electronic Vs Ns
=
system from the AC power. Vp Np
What is the secondary voltage on a
transformer having a turns ratio of 1:14?
Ans: 15.7 Vrms
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Is Np
= Center Tapped Transformer: Split the output
Ip Ns
of transformer in two almost equal amplitude
The primary to secondary current ratio of a and out of phase by 180 degrees.
transformer is 4:1, and the secondary voltage is
60 volts. What is the voltage on the primary?
Ans: 15V
2
Zs æ Ns ö
=
Zp çè Np ÷ø
An amplifier requires a load of 1000 ohms for
best performance. The amplifier output is to be
connected to a loudspeaker having an
impedance of 10 ohms. What must the turns
ratio be for a transformer used for impedance
matching.
Ans: 10:1

2. Rectifier
a. Half-Wave Rectifier
b. Full-wave rectifier
i. Bridge
ii. Center Tapped

HALF WAVE RECTIFIER CIRCUIT FULL WAVE: BRIDGE

- converts one-half of its AC input to DC. • Four diodes are connected in a bridge
configuration

FULL WAVE: CENTER TAPPED

• Two diodes
• Center-tapped transformer

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DIODES: APPLICATIONS
3. Filters
• smoothen out the ripple.
• it is designed to convert pulsating DC from
rectifier circuits into a suitably smooth dc
level.
4. Voltage Regulator
• maintains constant output voltage level
regardless to the change of input
voltage and load resistance.
A. Fixed Positive Voltage Regulator ( 78xx
Series)
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Engr. Arvin B. Aldover
B. Fixed Negative Voltage Regulator ( 79xx
Series)
C. Adjustable Voltage Regulators
• allows the user to set the output voltage
to a desired regulated value.
a. LM317 – Positive Adjustable Voltage
Regulator
b. LM337 – Negative Adjustable
Voltage Regulator
VOLTAGE REGULATION
A. LOAD EGULATION
- is the amount the dc voltage changes between
the no-load and load conditions.
B. LINE REGULATION
Line regulation is the ability of the power supply
to maintain its specified output voltage over
changes in the input line voltage.
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