Microelectronic Circuits I

Ch 3: Diodes

3.1 Ideal diode

3.2 Terminal characteristics of Junction diodes
3.3 Modeling the diode forward characteristics

CNU EE 3-1
 Introduction

- OP amp : linear amplifier

- Nonlinear circuit : ac-dc conversion, various waveform
generation (sinusoidal, square wave, pulses, tec.)
- Simplest & most fundamental nonlinear circuit element : diode

Resistor Diode

Similarity Two-terminal Two-terminal

Linear i-v relationship Nonlinear i-v relationship

Difference
V=iR Switch-like characteristics

CNU EE 3-2
 Ideal Diode
• Diode symbol • i-v characteristics (piecewise linear)

Reverse-biased (cut off, off) Forward-biased (turned on, on)

open circuit short circuit

CNU EE 3-3
 How to Limit Forward Current and Reverse Voltage

The forward current through a conducting diode & the reverse voltage across a
cutoff diode are determined by an external circuit

CNU EE 3-4
 Simple application : Rectifier

Input vI Output vO
• bipolar • unipolar
• <vI>=0 • < vO >=dc

• dc-ac converter
• rectifier

vI > 0 vI < 0

Forward biased àshort circuit reverse biased àopen circuit

CNU EE 3-5
 Diode Logic Gates

0V : logic 0
5V : logic 1

Common cathode Common anode

OR gate AND gate
Y=A+B+C Y=A•B•C

CNU EE 3-6
 EXAMPLE 3.2
(a)
10 - 0
I D2 = = 1 mA
10
0 - ( -10)
I +1=
5
I=1mA
V=0V
D1, D2 on
(b)
10 - 0
I D2 = = 2 mA
5
0 - ( -10)
I+2=
10
10 - ( -10)
I D2 = = 1.33 mA
15
I=0
Figure 3.6 Circuits for Example 3.2. V=3.3V
D1 off, D2 on
CNU EE 3-7
 Terminal Characteristics of Junction Diodes

Cut-in voltage

Breakdown (v < -VZK ) Reverse(v < 0) Forward-bias (v > 0)

CNU EE 3-8
 Forward-Bias Region ( v > 0 ): i-v Characteristics

i » I S ev / nVT when i >> I S

i = IS e ( v / nVT
-1) v = nVT ln ( i / I S )

• IS : saturation current or scale current

- Proportional to the junction area
- 10-12~10-15 A
-Temperature dependence: doubled / 5oC

• VT (thermal voltage) = kT/q = 25 mV @ T = 20oC

- k (Boltzman’s constant) = 1.38 x 10-23 [joules/kelvin]
- T = the absolute temperature in kelvins = 273 + temperature in oC
- q = the magnitude of electronic charge = 1.60 × 10-19 coulomb
- n : 1 ~ 2 (normally 1) , depends on material & physical structure
CNU EE 3-9
 Forward-Bias Region
ìï I1 = I S eV1 / nVT
i
í V / nV
ïî I 2 = I S e 2 T
I2
(V2 -V1 ) / nVT
® I 2 / I1 = e
I1

\V2 - V1 = nVT ln I 2 / I1 v
V1 V2
or V2 - V1 = 2.3nVT log I 2 / I1
Cut-in voltage (0.5V)
where, ln 10 = 2.3
ln A
log10 A =
ln 10

For a decade change in current,

the voltage drop changes by 2.3nVT
(60mV for n=1, 120mV for n=2 or
0.1V/decade, approximately)

CNU EE 3-10
 Reverse-Bias and Breakdown Regions
l Reverse-bias region l Breakdown region (v < -VZK)
(v < 0 & v > 2~3 VT) – Z : Zener, K : Knee

( )
i = I S e v / nVT - 1
= -I S
i is reverse directed & constant
à Saturation current
IS doubles for every 5oC rise in
temperature

§ Reverse current increases rapidly, with

the small increase in voltage drop
§ Not destructive
CNU EE 3-11
 Modeling the Diode Forward Characteristic
Exponential Model
§ Assume VDD > 0.5V, ID >> IS
§ The most accurate but hard to use
VDD - VD
ID = by KVL
R
I D = I S eVD / nVT by exponential model

VD & ID ? 1) graphical analysis

2) iterative analysis

VDD=5V, R=1kW :
VD = 0.738V
ID =4.262mA

CNU EE 3-12
 Constant-Voltage-Drop Model
simpler model for diode forward characteristics
à a forward-conducting diode exhibits a constant voltage drop VD (=0.7V).
à most frequently employed in the initial phases of analysis & design

VD = 0.7V
VD = 0.7V

rD = 0
Constant-voltage-drop model for Ex. 3.5 VDD - 0.7
ID =
VD = 0.7V R
5 - 0.7
= = 4.3 mA
CNU EE 1 3-13
 Ideal Diode Model
Application voltage >> diode voltage drop (0.6V – 0.8V)
à neglect the diode voltage drop VD =0V
à most frequently employed in the initial phases of analysis & design

Constant-voltage-drop model for Ex. 3.5

VDD = 5V, R=1kW

VD = 0 V
VDD - VD 5 - 0
ID = = = 5mA
R 1

CNU EE 3-14
 Diode Small-Signal Model
Application, where a small ac signal is superimposed on the dc quantities
1) determine the dc operating point (VD & ID) by using 0.7V drop model
2) diode is modeled by rd, the inverse of the slope of the tangent to the exponential
model at the dc bias point

Small-signal

DC bias

CNU EE 3-15
 Diode Small-Signal Model
VD / nVT
In the absence of the signal vd(t),
ID = ISe dc current ID w/ dc voltage VD only (n=1)
vD (t ) = VD + vd (t ) Total instantaneous diode voltage vD(t)
¯ iD (t ) = I S evD (t ) / nVT
v (t ) / nVT
iD (t ) = I S e(
VD + vd ( t ) ) / nVT
= I S eVD / nVT evd (t ) / nVT = I D e d
æ vd ö ID vd
® iD (t ) » I D ç1 + =
÷ DI + vd , when << 1
è nVT ø nVT nVT
Small-signal approximation (when vd < 10mV for n=2, 5mV for n=1, VT=25mV)
ID 1
\ iD = I D + id , where id = vd = vd , I D = I S eVD / nVT
nVT rd
nVT ¶iD : Diode small-signal resistance,
Here rd = = 1/
ID ¶vD vD =VD or iD = I D or incremental resistance
§ rd is inversely proportional to the bias current ID.
§ VD & ID: dc bias point or quiescent point
CNU EE 3-16
 EXAMPLE 3.5
Power supply V+ : 10V dc + 1 Vpeak, 60Hz sinusoid (power-supply ripple)
R : 10 kW, diode : 0.7V at 1mA, n=1
dc voltage VD & the amplitude of the sine-wave signal vd ?

10 - 0.7
ID = = 0.93 mA
10
VT 25
rd = = = 26.9W
I D 0.93
rd
vd ( peak ) = V peak
R + rd
0.0269
=1 = 2.68mV
10 + 0.0269

vd < 5mV for n=1,

Small-signal model is O.K
(a) Circuit for Example 3.6. (b) Circuit for calculating the dc operating point.
(c) Small-signal equivalent circuit.
CNU EE 3-17