Semiconductor Diode
Applications
Rectifier
▪ One of the most important applications of diodes is in the design of
rectifier circuits.
▪ Rectifiers convert ac power to dc power.
▪ Rectifiers form the basis for electronic power suppliers and battery
charging circuits.
Fig.: Complete power supply with transformer, rectifier, filter, and regulator
Step-1: Decrease RMS magnitude of AC wave via
power transformer
step -2: convert full-wave AC signal to full-wave
rectified signal (still time-varying and periodic)
step -3: employ low-pass filter to reduce wave
amplitude by > 90%
step -4: employ voltage regulator to eliminate
ripple
step -5: supply dc load
.
Oxford University Publishing Microelectronic Circuits by Adel S. Sedra and Kenneth C. Smith
(0195323033)
Block diagram of a dc power supply
Rectifier
Rectifier are mainly two types:
▪ Half wave Rectifiers
▪ Full wave Rectifiers.
➢ Bridge rectifier
➢ Center tap transformer rectifier
Half-wave Rectifier
• Half wave Rectifiers: A rectifier that allows only one-half cycle of an
ac voltage waveform to establish a dc level is called half wave
rectification.
Hal-wave rectifier circuit with AC input Rectifier Output for ideal diode
1 𝑇
The average voltage, 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 𝑇 0 𝑉𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝑡𝑑𝑡
𝑇ൗ
2 𝑇ൗ
𝑉𝑚 𝑉𝑚 2
= න 𝑉𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝑡𝑑𝑡 = −𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜔𝑡
𝑇 𝜔𝑇 0
0
𝑉𝑚 𝑉𝑚 2𝜋
= ×2= [since, 𝜔 = ]
𝜔𝑇 𝜋 𝑇
Therefore, the dc voltage for halfwave rectifier is 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.318𝑉𝑚
Effect of Using a Real Diode
• If simplified diode model is employed.
• The diode is conducted after the voltage supplied is more than 0.7V as
shown below
• So peak value of output is reduced, hence the dc voltage will be
reduced.
Vdc 0.318(Vm −VK )
Half-Wave Rectification
Example: Circuit as below
• Sketch the output vo and determine dc level of the output voltage for
ideal diode
• What is the practical diode
• The Vm is increase to 200V
Solution:
Ideal diode circuit:
Vdc 0.318(Vm)
= −0.318(20V )
= −6.36V
(a)
(b)
Vdc 0.318(Vm − VK ) = −0.318(20V − 0.7V ) = −6.14V
Drop about 0.22V or 3.5 %
(C) Vdc 0.318(Vm ) = −0.318(200V ) = −63.6V (ideal)
Vdc 0.318(Vm − V K ) = −0.318(200V − 0.7 ) = −63.38V (practical)
Drop about 0.22V or 0.35%
Diode Rating
• The maximum value of the reverse voltage that a diode can withstand
without damaging itself is known as its Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV).
• PIV of diode must be greater than the applied voltage
• This rating of PIV is given and described in the datasheet provided by
the manufacturer.
• It is usually prudent to select a diode that has a reverse breakdown
voltage at least 20% greater than the expected PIV.
PIV(rating) > Vm for half –wave rectifier
Half-wave Rectifier
Advantages:
‒ Simple construction
‒ Less number of components are required
‒ Small size
Disadvantages:
‒ More amount of ripple content
‒ Transformer utilization factor is very low.
‒ Rectification efficiency is low
‒ Generates harmonics
‒ Low output voltage or current
Applications:
‒ It is used for applications where constant DC
voltage is not very essential
‒ We can use in the power supplies
Full-Wave Rectification
Full wave Rectifiers:
➢ A rectifier that allows full cycle of an ac voltage
waveform to establish a dc level is called Full wave
rectification.
➢ Full-wave rectification produces a greater DC output
• Half-wave: Vdc = 0.318Vm
• Full-wave: Vdc = 0.636Vm
Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier
• A full-wave rectifier with four diodes that are connected
in a bridge configuration.
✓ Four diodes are connected in a bridge configuration
✓ VDC = 0.636Vm
Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier
The bridge rectifier circuit.
Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier
The bridge rectifier circuit.
Full-Wave Bridge Rectification
Ideal diode
Vdc = 2(0.318Vm ) = 0.636Vm
Practical diode
Vdc 0.636(Vm − 2V K )
The effect of using a real diode
Diode Rating
For ideal diode 𝑃𝐼𝑉 ≥ 𝑉𝑚 For real diode 𝑃𝐼𝑉 ≥ 𝑉𝑚 − 𝑉𝐾
Full-wave Bridge Rectifier
Advantages:
‒ No need for center-tapped transformers
‒ High average output voltage
‒ Rectifier efficiency is high
‒ Transformer utilization factor is high
Disadvantages:
‒ The number of diode is four
‒ Series connection of TWO diodes will reduce
output voltage.
PIV = Vm – VK
Applications:
‒ Laboratory dc power supplies
‒ High current power supplies
‒ Battery charger
‒ DC power supplies for various electronic circuits
Center-Tapped Transformer
Center-Tapped Transformer Rectifier Output:
Requires • VDC = 0.636Vm
• Two diodes • PIV > 2 Vm
• Center-tapped transformer
The above output is for ideal diode
Center-Tapped Transformer
When instantaneous source voltage is positive, D1 conducts while D2 blocks…
𝑣𝑖
𝑣𝑖
The center tap transformer rectifier circuit.
Center-Tapped Transformer
when instantaneous source voltage is negative, D2 conducts while D1 blocks
The center tap transformer rectifier circuit.
Effect of Real Diode
𝑉𝑚 − 𝑉𝑘
Vdc 0.636(Vm − V K )
The effect of using a real diode
PIV.
Apply KVL PIV = Vsecondary + VR = Vm + Vm = 2Vm
Therefore PIV 2Vm
For practical diode, PIV for center tap = 2Vm – VK
Full-wave Rectifier with Center-Tapped Transformer
Advantages:
‒ Low ripple factor as compared with half-wave
rectifier.
‒ Better rectification efficiency
‒ Better transformer utilization factor
Disadvantages:
‒ Since PIV is 2Vm ,size of the diodes is larger and
they are most costly
‒ Cost of center tapped transformer is high
Applications:
‒ Laboratory dc power supplies
‒ High current power supplies
‒ Battery charger
‒ DC power supplies for various electronic circuits
Summary of Rectifier Circuits
Rectifier Ideal VDC Realistic VDC
Half Wave Rectifier VDC = 0.318Vm VDC = 0.318Vm – 0.7
Bridge Rectifier VDC = 0.636Vm VDC = 0.636Vm – 2(0.7 V)
Center-Tapped Transformer
VDC = 0.636Vm VDC = 0.636Vm – 0.7 V
Rectifier
▪ Vm = peak of the AC voltage.
▪ In the center tapped transformer rectifier circuit, the peak AC
voltage is the transformer secondary voltage to the tap.
▪ The above realistic value is true for only silicon diode.
• Determine the output for the network below and
calculate the output dc level and the required PIV
of each diode.
Solution:
D1 D2
For positive half cycle, diode 2 is on and 1 is off, which is
shown in the following figure
Equivalent circuit Redrawn network Output for
positive cycle
Solution:
1 1
From the 2nd Fig; 𝑉0 = 𝑉 = 10𝑉 = 5𝑉
2 𝑖 2
Therefore, 𝑉𝑑𝑐 = 0.636𝑉0 = 0.636 5𝑉 = 3.18𝑉
Again, for the negative half cycle, diode 1 is on and 2 is off
and we get the same result of positive half cycle.
3.18V Vdc
Resulting output
PIV Vm = 5V
Practical Applications
Rectifier Circuits
• Conversions of AC to DC for DC operated circuits
• Battery Charging Circuits
Simple Diode Circuits
• Protective Circuits against
• Overcurrent
• Polarity Reversal
• Currents caused by an inductive kick in a relay
circuit
Zener Circuits
• Overvoltage Protection
• Setting Reference Voltages
28
