Electronics I - Fall 2020

Analysis of Diode Circuits

• Diode Models.
• The ideal model
• The constant-drop model
• The constant-drop-resistance model
• The exact model
• Applications and examples.
 Diode Models and Circuit Analysis

Ideal Constant
ON ON
Model drop Model

OFF OFF

VDO

Constant Exact
ON Model
drop with R
Model
OFF

VDO
 The Ideal Diode Model

Ideal
Model ON
𝑉# 𝑉$

P-side voltage ≥ N-side voltage: Diode ON OFF

(Diode behaves like a short-circuit 𝐼 ≠ 0, 𝑉! = 0) 𝑉!"
P-side voltage < N-side voltage: Diode OFF Advantages: Simple, quick answer.
(Diode behaves like an open-circuit 𝐼 = 0) Disadvantages: Not accurate

Example Looks like 𝑉# ≥ 𝑉$ Now 𝑉# < 𝑉$

Diode ON Diode OFF
𝐼! 10 − 0 𝐼!
𝐼! = 𝐼! = 0
𝑝 𝑉# 1𝑘 𝑛 𝑉$
𝐼! = 10 𝑚𝐴 𝑉! = 𝑉# − 𝑉$ = −10 𝑉
𝑛 𝑉$ 𝑝 𝑉#
𝑉! = 𝑉# − 𝑉$ = 0
 The Ideal Diode Model

Example: Find the current waveform. Use the ideal diode model
24
𝑝 𝑛 𝑣%
12
100 Ω
𝑖 𝑖
24 12 𝑉

𝜃, 𝜃+
Diode is ON when
𝑣% ≥ 12 𝑉 Conduction angle
12
𝑣% − 12 12 = 24 sin 𝜃, 𝜃, = sin-, = 30°
𝑖(𝑡) = 24
𝑅
∆𝜃 = 180° − 2𝜃, = 120°
24 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 12
𝑖(𝑡) = Maximum (peak) reverse voltage
100
24 − 12 𝑃𝐼𝑉 = 24 + 12 = 36 𝑉
𝑖!('()) = = 0.12 𝐴
100
 The Ideal Diode Model

Example: Analyze the diode logic circuit below. Use the ideal diode model
𝑝 𝑛
𝑉.
𝑉/
Inputs
𝑉0 𝑉1 0 or +5 V
𝑛 𝑝
Inputs 𝑉.
0 or +5 V 𝑉/ 𝑉1
𝑉0
A B C Y A B C Y
0 0 0 0 OR gate 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
1 1 0 1 AND gate 1 1 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
 The Ideal Diode Model

Example: Analyze the diode circuit below. Use the ideal diode model

𝑉2

𝐼
 The Ideal Diode Model

Example: Analyze the diode circuit below. Use the ideal diode model

D1: Looks like 𝑉# ≥ 𝑉$ Diode ON

D2: Looks like 𝑉# ≥ 𝑉$ Diode ON

Point B at ground
10 − 0
𝑝 𝐼+ = = 1 𝑚𝐴
𝐼, 𝑝 10 𝑘
𝑉2
𝑛 𝑛 𝐼+ 0 − (−10)
𝐼= = 2 𝑚𝐴
5𝑘
𝐼
𝐼, = 𝐼 − 𝐼+ = 1 𝑚𝐴

𝑉2 = 0
 The Ideal Diode Model

Example: Analyze the diode circuit below. Use the ideal diode model
D1: Looks like 𝑉# ≥ 𝑉$ Diode ON
D2: Looks like 𝑉# ≥ 𝑉$ Diode ON
10 − 0
Point B at ground 𝐼+ = = 2 𝑚𝐴
5𝑘
0 − (−10)
𝐼= = 1 𝑚𝐴 𝐼, = 𝐼 − 𝐼!+ = −1 𝑚𝐴
𝑝 10 𝑘
𝐼, 𝑝
𝑉2 Original assumption was wrong!!
𝑛 𝑛 𝐼+
D1: OFF, D2: ON
𝐼 10 − (−10)
𝐼, = 0 𝐼+ = 𝐼 = = 1.33 𝑚𝐴
10 𝑘 + 5 𝑘

𝑉2 = 10 − 5 𝑘 1.33 𝑚 = 3.33 𝑉 Check

 The Constant-drop Diode Model
Constant
ON
drop Model
𝑉# 𝑉$
𝑉# − 𝑉$ ≥ 𝑉!" : Diode ON OFF
(Diode is modeled by a constant battery VDO
𝐼 ≠ 0, 𝑉! = 𝑉!" )
𝑉# − 𝑉$ < 𝑉!" : Diode OFF Advantages: Simple, more accurate.
(Diode behaves like an open-circuit 𝐼 = 0)
Example Looks like 𝑉# − 𝑉$ ≥ 0.7 𝑉 Now 𝑉# < 𝑉$
𝑉!" = 0.7 𝑉
Diode ON Diode OFF
𝐼! 10 − 0.7 𝐼!
𝐼! = 𝐼! = 0
𝑝 𝑉# 1𝑘 𝑛 𝑉$
𝑉!"
𝐼! = 9.3 𝑚𝐴 𝑉! = 𝑉# − 𝑉$ = −10 𝑉
𝑛 𝑉$ 𝑝 𝑉#
𝑉! = 𝑉# − 𝑉$ = 0.7 𝑉
 The Constant-drop-R Diode Model

Constant
ON
𝑉# 𝑉$ drop with R
Model
𝑉# − 𝑉$ ≥ 𝑉!" : Diode ON
OFF
(Diode is modeled by a constant battery-R
𝐼 ≠ 0, 𝑉! = 𝑉!" + 𝐼! 𝑟! ) VDO
𝑉# − 𝑉$ < 𝑉!" : Diode OFF Advantages: Accurate.
(Diode behaves like an open-circuit 𝐼 = 0)
Example Looks like 𝑉# − 𝑉$ ≥ 0.7 𝑉 Now 𝑉# < 𝑉$
𝑉!" = 0.7 𝑉
𝑟! = 10Ω Diode ON
Diode OFF
𝐼! 10 − 0.7
𝐼! = 𝐼!
1𝑘 + 10
𝐼! = 0
𝑝 𝑉# 𝑛 𝑉$
𝑉!" 𝐼! = 9.208 𝑚𝐴
𝑉! = 𝑉# − 𝑉$ = −10 𝑉
𝑟𝑛
! 𝑉$ 𝑉! = 0.7 + 9.208 𝑚 10 𝑝 𝑉#
𝑉! = 0.792 V
 The Exact Diode Model

In this case we use the diode current equation 𝐼!

𝐼! = 𝐼% (𝑒 3#/$3$ −1)

Two unknowns, need another equation: the circuit equation.

+ 𝑉! −

Example 𝐼! (mA)
Diode equation
𝐼! = 𝐼% (𝑒 3#/$3$ −1)
𝐼!
Circuit equation
+ 10 − 𝑉! Not to
𝑉! 𝐼! =
1𝑘 scale
-

This nonlinear system of equations can be solved

numerically using iterative methods (Newton’s 𝑉! (V)
zero-finding method, etc.)
 Examples: 1

Analyze the circuit. Use the constant-battery model with 𝑉!" = 0.7 𝑉.

𝑝 𝑛
𝑉 = 3 − 0.7 = 2.3 𝑉

𝑉!" 2.3 − (−3)

𝐼= = 2.65 𝑚𝐴
2𝑘

D1: OFF
D2: ON
 Examples: 2

Analyze the circuit. Use the constant-battery model with 𝑉!" = 0.7 𝑉.

Use Thevenin's theorem.

𝑉56+
𝑉56, 𝐼
4.17 𝑉
2 𝑘Ω
0.82 𝑉 𝑛 𝑝

𝑅56, − 𝑉 + 𝑅56+
0.91 𝑘 1.67 𝑘
1 𝑘Ω

Diode ON
𝑉 = 0.7 𝑉
𝑅56, = 1𝑘 ∥ 10𝑘 𝑅56+ = 10𝑘 ∥ 2𝑘
1 10 4.17 − 0.7 − 0.82
𝑉56, = (9) 𝑉56, = (5) 𝐼= = 1.03 𝑚𝐴
1 + 10 2 + 10 (1.67 + 0.91) 𝑘
 Q&A

Send me an email if
you have any
questions.