QUAID-E-AWAM UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING, SCIENCE

&TECHNOLOGY, NAWABSHAH
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNUICATION ENGINEERING
Radio Frequency & Microwave Systems (1st Semester Final Year)
Lab. Experiment # 08

PIN diode modulator investigations

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:
➢ Upon successful completion of this experiment, the student shall be able to:
✓ Know PIN diode under forward and reverse bias conditions and its use in microwave
circuits to control the transmission of power.
✓ Know the action of a PIN diode and its operation as a microwave switch/modulator.
✓ Investigate experimentally the characteristics of a series connected PIN diode
microwave modulator.

INTRODUCTION:
PIN diodes derive their name from their construction as shown in fig 1(a). The p and n type
semiconductor layers are separated by an intrinsic layer (I layer) of silicon, hence PIN. At microwave
frequencies PIN diodes are extensively used as the control elements in switches, attenuators, limiters,
modulators and in RF levelling circuits. A DC bias or modulating signal applied to the PIN diode can
control relatively a large amount of RF power. The free charge concentration in the intrinsic layer, and
hence its effective resistance can be varied electronically by mean of current from a simple bias supply.
Simplified equivalent circuits for the PIN diode for forward and reverse bias conditions are shown in
fig1(b) and (c).

Figure 1 : PIN diode and simplified equivalent circuits

Under zero or reverse bias, a PIN diode has a low capacitance. The low capacitance will not pass much
of an RF signal. Under a forward bias of 1 mA, a typical PIN diode will have an RF resistance of
about 1 ohm, making it a good RF conductor. Consequently, the PIN diode makes a good RF switch. PIN

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diode switches are used not only for signal selection, but they are also used for component selection.
For example, some low phase noise oscillators use PIN diodes to range-switch inductors. By changing
the bias current through a PIN diode, it is possible to quickly change the RF resistance.
At high frequencies, the PIN diode appears as a resistor whose resistance is an inverse function of its
forward current. Consequently, PIN diode can be used in some variable attenuator designs as
amplitude modulators or output leveling circuits.
PIN diodes are sometimes used as input protection devices for high frequency test probes. If the input
signal is within range, the PIN diode has little impact as a small capacitance. If the signal is large, then
the PIN diode starts to conduct and becomes a resistor that shunts most of the signal to ground.

Figure 2 : Circuit details of PIN diode modulator

The PIN diode modulator is a series circuit version with the diode inserted in series with the top strip
conductor as shown in fig(2). DC bias is applied via a λg/4 high-impedance line terminated in a low
impedance butterfly-type stub; the DC return to ground is also via a high-impedance λg/4 line. Forward
bias current can be supplied via a connector on the casing and is limited by a resistor to prevent
damage to the PIN diode.

The PIN diode unit is shown in fig 3. DC bias signal is applied to the diode via the miniature coaxial bias
port. Connect the SMA miniature plug to BNC adapter (ADR) to the bias port. The coaxial cable with
black and red terminals supplied then can be used to connect to a DC power supply or modulating
signal source. The VCO power supply may be used to forward bias the PIN diode: connect the black
terminal of the bias cable to 0 volts (black) of the supply, the red terminal to tuning voltage terminal.

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 Figure 3 : PIN diode modulator unit

The main part of the investigation is to measure the transmission power through the modulator under
forward bias conditions (diode presenting low resistance).

Figure 4 : Test set-up for PIN diode modulator investigation

The experimental procedure is as follow:

1. Set up the equipment as shown in fig 4 with the PIN diode forward biased.
2. Set the VCO to 5 volts and measure the transmission power using crystal detector.
3. Increase the bias supply from 0 volts in small increments until the transition from high to low
attenuation is observed.
4. Measure the transmission power starting at 0 volts in 0.1 volts steps until the biasing condition
of the PIN diode is observed.
5. Record the bias volts and plot a graph of transmitted voltage versus bias voltage.

PIN diodes find important applications in microwave switches, modulators, limiters and voltage-
controlled attenuators. PIN diodes acts as a low resistant element when fully forward biased and as a
high resistance element in parallel with a small junction capacitance when zero or reverse biased.

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 f GHz VCO Vfb Forward bias Vz Zero bias Vpi Direct
transmission transmission Connection
power Pfb power Pz transmission
power Pi

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

2.9

3.0

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

Table:1

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Review Questions:

1. Comment on the characteristics of the PID unit as an ON-OFF keyed modulator:

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2. Which microwave components were involved in this practical?

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3. What is a PIN diode?

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4. Write some applications of PIN diode?

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5. How forward and reverse bias conditions of PIN diode are used to control the transmission of
power?

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