Diodes as Rectifiers

As previously mentioned, diodes can be used to convert alternating current (AC) to direct current
(DC). Shown below is a representative schematic of a simple DC power supply similar to a au-
tomobile battery charger. The way in which the diode rectifier is used results in what is called a
half-wave rectifier.

0V 35.6Vpp

0V 167V
pp
17.1Vp
D1 0V
T1
Wallplug
1N4001
R1 negative half−wave is
110VAC
resistive load removed by diode

D1
120 to 12.6VAC
stepdown transformer
+ D2
input from
0V 35.6Vpp
transformer
(positive half−cycle)
Figure 1: Half-Wave Rectifier Schematic
167V
0V pp
17.1Vp
− D3
D1 0V
The input transformer steps the input voltage
T1 down from
110VAC(rms) to 12.6VAC(rms). The
D4
diode converts the AC voltage to DC by removing
Wallplug the negative
D1 and
1N4001 D3 going part of the input sine wave.
D1 and D3

The result is a pulsating

110VAC
DC output waveform which is not
R1 ideal except for
negative simple
half−wave
17.1Vp
isapplications
0V resistive
and load removed by diode
such as battery chargers as the voltage goes to zero for one D2have D4 of every cycle. What we would
D1 D1
like is a DC output that is more consistent;
T1
a waveform more like a battery what we have here. T1 D1
1
D2
120 to 12.6VAC D2
Wallplug
stepdown transformer
R1
resistive load
Wallplug + D2
We need a way to use the negative half-cycle of the sine wave to to fill in between the pulses input from
110VAC 110VAC transformer
created by the positive half-waves. This would give us a more consistent output voltage.(positive
Below half−cycle)
is a circuit that does just that. When the diodes
D3
are connected in this manner this circuit would be D3
called a full-wave rectifier.120 to 12.6VAC −
120 to 12.6VAC D3
2

stepdown transformer D4 stepdown transformer D4

D4
D1 and D3 D1 and D3

17.1Vp
0V D2 and D4
D1 D1
T1 T1 1
D2 TITLE D2
Wallplug R1 Wallplug
resistive load FILE:

110VAC 110VAC PAGE OF

D3 D3
2
120 to 12.6VAC 120 to 12.6VAC
stepdown transformer D4 stepdown transformer D4

Figure 2: Full-Wave Rectifier Schematic

TITLE

1 FILE:

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The full wave rectifier uses the one-way action of the diodes to create the output from both positive
and negative half-waves of the AC input signal. The path through the load passes through two
negative half−wave is
diodes in this scheme. The different paths through the rectifier are shown below.
removed by diode

D1 D1
+ D2
− D2
input from
RL input from RL
transformer
transformer
(positive half−cycle)
(negative half−cycle)

− D3 + D3

D4 D4
d D3

17.1Vp Figure 3: Different Paths through the Rectifier Diodes

35.6Vpp D1
v_out
When the the top terminal is more positive, only diodes D1 and D3 can conduct. Because of the
T1 1
voltage drop across the load, diode D2 D2 is reverse
C1 biased. Diode D4 is reverse biased from its con-
Wallplug R1
nection
0V
across the transformer.
17.1Vp As the current passes through
50uF 1K each diode, the voltage drops by 0.7
T1 D1
volts. Thus, even if the load was a short circuit, diode D2 could not pass current back to the input
110VAC
1N4001 terminal since its anode side is at least 0.7 volts below its cathode because of diode D1. When
R1 bottom terminal negative half−wave is
the
resistive load
is more positive, only diodes D4 and D2 can conduct. In either positive or
removed by diode D3
negative half-cycles, the positive 2 output terminal remains positive.
120 to 12.6VAC
D4 D1 D1
o 12.6VAC stepdown transformer −most ofD2the ripple with
n transformer
Now we have an output that is uni-polar + has ripple. We can remove
put still D2
the addition of a capacitor shown below.
input from The capacitor acts as a temporary storage reservoir that
R input from L R L
transformer
transformer
supplies current to the load between the
(positive input pulses. The capacitor
half−cycle) is charged
(negative half−cycle)
on the rising edge
of the half-cycles and supplies current to the load when the input voltage falls below the voltage
−
stored on the capacitor. Such a circuit is able to D3 +
provide a fairly clean output that
D3 is suitable for

most electronic devices. D4 D4

D1 and D3 D1TITLE
and D3

FILE: 17.1Vp REVISION:

0V D2 and D4
D1 PAGE OF DRAWND1
BY:
v_out
T1 1
D2 D2 C1
R1 Wallplug R1
resistive load 50uF 1K
110VAC

D3 D3
2
120 to 12.6VAC
D4 stepdown transformer D4

Figure 4: Full-Wave Rectifier with Filter Capacitor Schematic

The output from a spice simulation of the full-wave rectifier is shown in fig 5. The red trace is the
TITLE
input voltage. The blue trace is the output
FILE: voltage. After the input waveform begins to fall below
REVISION:

PAGE OF DRAWN BY:

2
the capacitor voltage, we see the discharge of the capacitor begin. Once the inverted negative half-
cycle voltage exceeds the capacitor voltage, we see the capacitor being recharged. The capacitor
holds-up the voltage between the voltage peaks. With an big enough capacitor the voltage droop
between input voltage peaks can be made arbitrarily small.

Figure 5: Spice Simulation - Filtered Full-wave Rectifier Showing Output Ripple