CHAPTER 2

DIODES APPLICATIONS

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Diode Clampers
• Diode clamper known as a dc restorer: Add a dc level to
an ac signal

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 49 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Diode Clampers

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 50 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Clampers

A diode and capacitor

can be combined to
“clamp” an AC signal to
a specific DC level.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 4 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Biased Clamper Circuits

The input signal can be any

type of waveform such as
sine, square, and triangle
waves.

The DC source lets you

adjust the DC camping
level.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 5 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Biased Clamper Circuits: Example

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 6 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Biased Clamper Circuits: Example

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 7 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Summary of Clamper Circuits

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 8 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Diodes symbol

• The zener diode is a silicon pn junction device and operate in

the reverse breakdown region

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 56 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Breakdown Characteristic

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 57 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Equivalent Circuit

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 58 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Diodes

The Zener is a diode operated

in reverse bias at the Zener
Voltage (Vz).

• When Vi  VZ
– The Zener is on
– Voltage across the Zener is VZ
– Zener current: IZ = IR – IRL
– The Zener Power: PZ = VZIZ

• When Vi < VZ
– The Zener is off
– The Zener acts as an open circuit

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 12 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Diodes

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 13 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Diodes

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 14 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Diodes

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 15 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Diodes

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 16 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Diodes

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 17 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Breakdown (Vz)
• Two types of reverse breakdown in a zener diode
– Avalanche
• also occures in the rectifier diode
– Zener
• Occurs in a zener diode at low reverse voltages

NOTE : Zeners with breakdown voltage of 1.8 to

200 V are commercially available

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 65 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Resistor Values
If R is too large, the Zener diode cannot conduct because the available amount of
current is less than the minimum current rating, IZK. The minimum current is
given by:
I Lmin = I R − I ZK

The maximum value of resistance is:

VZ
RLmax =
I Lmin

If R is too small, the Zener current exceeds the maximum current

rating, IZM . The maximum current for the circuit is given by:
VL V
I L max =
= Z
RL RL min
The minimum value of resistance is:
RVZ
RL min =
Vi − VZ

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 19 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Resistor Values: Example

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 20 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Resistor Values: Example

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 21 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Resistor Values: Example

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 22 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Zener Resistor Values: Example

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 23 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.