DIODE

What is diode?

Diode is a unidirectional semiconductor material and it does not behave linearly with respect to
the applied voltage. Thus, it cannot be described by using Ohm’s law.

PN Junction

The electrons move from the N-type silicon to the P-type silicon, they leave behind positively
charged donor ions (ND) on the negative side and now the holes from the acceptor impurity
migrate across the junction in the opposite direction into the region where there are large
numbers of free electrons. The charge density of the P-type along the junction is filled with
negatively charged acceptor ions, and the charge density of the N-type along the junction
becomes positive. This process continues back and forth and a state of equilibrium (electrically
neutral situation) will occur producing a “potential barrier” zone.
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PN Junction Diode

A diode passes current one direction and blocks current flow in the high resistance direction. If a
suitable positive voltage (forward bias) is applied, free electrons and holes are supplied with
extra energy to cross the junction as the width of the depletion layer around the PN junction is
decreased. In other words, when the anode is positive compared to the cathode, forward
current will occur. If a suitable negative voltage (reverse bias) is applied, free charges will be
pulled away from the junction which leads increased depletion layer width. By this way,
effective resistance will be increased/decreased. In other words, when the cathode is positive
compared to the anode, diode will allow a very small leakage current, which can be neglected.
Note that the depletion layer widens with an increase in the application of a reverse voltage and
narrows with an increase in the application of a forward voltage.
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There are two operating regions and three possible “biasing” conditions for the standard
Junction Diode and these are:

1. Zero Bias: No external voltage potential is applied to the PN junction diode. At this stage, no
external energy source is applied and a natural Potential Barrier is developed across a depletion
layer which is approximately 0.5 to 0.7v for silicon diodes and approximately 0.3 of a volt for
germanium diodes.

2. Reverse Bias: The voltage potential is connected negative to the P-type material and positive
to the N-type material which leads to increased diode width.
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3. Forward Bias: The voltage potential is connected positive to the P-type material and negative
to the N-type material across the diode which leads to decreased diode width.
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Signal Diode
An ideal small signal diode conducts current in one direction (forward-conducting) and blocks
current in the other direction (reverse-blocking). Signal Diodes are used in a wide variety of
applications such as a switch in rectifiers, current limiters, and wave-shaping circuits.

Power Diodes and Rectifiers

If an alternating voltage is applied across a power diode, during the positive half cycle the diode
will conduct passing current and during the negative half cycle the diode will not conduct
blocking the flow of current. Then conduction through the power diode only occurs during the
positive half cycle and is therefore unidirectional.
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1)Halfwave Rectifier

During each “positive” half cycle of the AC sine wave, the diode is forward biased as the anode is
positive with respect to the cathode resulting in current flowing through the diode. During each
“negative” half cycle of the AC sinusoidal input waveform, the diode is reverse biased as the
anode is negative with respect to the cathode. Therefore, NO current flows through the diode or
circuit.
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2)Fullwave Rectifier

When point A is positive with respect to point C, diode D1 conducts in the forward direction as
indicated by the arrows. When point B is positive (in the negative half of the cycle) with respect
to point C, diode D2 conducts in the forward direction and the current flowing through resistor
R is in the same direction for both half-cycles. As the output voltage across the resistor R is the
phasor sum of the two waveforms combined, this type of full wave rectifier circuit is also known
as a “bi-phase” circuit.

3)The Diode Bridge Rectifier

The four diodes labelled D1 to D4 are arranged in “series pairs” with only two diodes conducting
current during each half cycle. During the positive half cycle of the supply, diodes D1 and D2
conduct in series while diodes D3 and D4 are reverse biased and the current flows through the
load as shown below.
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In the first positive half cycle of the AC signal, the diodes D2 and D3 become forward biased and
start conducting. At the same time, the diodes D1 and D4 will be reverse biased and will not
conduct. The current will flow through the load resistor via the two forward-biased diodes.
During the negative half cycle, the diodes D1 and D4 will be forward biased and diodes D2 and
D3 will become reverse biased. The positive voltage will appear on the anode of D4, and
negative voltage will be applied to the cathode of D1. It is worth noting at this point that the
current that will be flowing through the load resistor will have the same direction as it has with
the positive half cycle. Therefore, no matter the polarity of the input signal, the output polarity
will always be the same.
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PRE-LAB:
1)In Figure A assume the voltage drop across diode is 0.7V. Find the current through resistor
in case of R1 =1kΩ. How does the diode polarize in this circuit?

5V −0.7
Answer: Forward Bios 
1k
=4.3mA

2) In Figure B assume the voltage drop across diode is 0.7V. Find the current through resistor
in case of R2 =470kΩ. How does the diode polarize in this circuit?

Answer: This diode is reverse. No current flows.

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The Diode Bridge Rectifier in ORCAD

Figure E1
Simulation in OrCAD
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Diode Characteristics in ORCAD

Figure E2
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16. From the Axis Settings select Axis Variable and define the Voltage on diode. 17.
Please explain what did you observed by graphing the diode’s forward characteristic

Diode Characteristics Prototype on NI ELVIS II

Figure E3
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0,04 mA
0,04 mA
0,16 mA
0,86 mA
3,17 mA
22,05 mA
51,7 mA

1. Discuss the results that you obtained. Why there was no current flow thorough diode at
first 4 measurement.
We need voltage which is bigger than 0.7V to have a current. That’s why there is no current
flow at first 4 measurement.
2. Show your calculations.

V
V=I.R ==> I=
R
1,2,3,4=0

1 3 6 8
5= =0,01 6= =0,03 7= =0,06 8= =0,08
100 100 100 100
3. Compare the theoretical and practical values.
First 4 values are the same but in the rest of them have some little differences. The
reason is we are not measuring them in ideal concept.
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