V 1V := I 1mA =

I
V
DD
1volt
( )
R
:=
Assume D
1
ON and D
2
OFF
b) Since we have two diodes sharing the same anode so either both will
be OFF or the one with lower cathode voltage will be ON.
For D
2
->I
D2
=I =+3 mA >0 ->Our assumption of D
2
ON is correct
For D
1
->V
D1
=-2 V <0 ->Our assumption of D
1
OFF is correct
Check :
V 3volt := I 3mA =
I
3volt V
SS

( )
R
:=
Assume D
1
OFF and D
2
ON
a) Since we have two diodes sharing the same cathode so either both will
be OFF or the one with higher anode voltage will be ON.
Solution
V
SS
3 volt := R 2 k := V
DD
3 volt :=
Assume that the diodes are ideal and:
Given
Determine the current I

and the voltage V for the circuit shown below.
3.3
Diodes
Homework # 1
1/18
The diode voltages of the diodes under consideration are measured
experimentally at a current I and at a current I/10
Given
For the following diodes determine I
s
, n and the diode voltage at 10I
3.22
PIV 169.706V = PIV V
P
:=
R R
min

R
min
3.394 10
3
= R
min
V
P
I
Dmax
:=
I
Dmax
50mA :=
V
P
169.706V = V
P
2 V
rms
:=
Solution
V
rms
120volt :=
Assume that the diode is ideal and the input is sinusoidal with:
Given
Determine the value of R to limit the diode current to 50mA for the
rectifier circuit shown below. Calculate the PIV?
3.11
For D
2
->V
D2
=-2 V <0 ->Our assumption of D
2
OFF is correct
For D
1
->I
D1
=I =1 mA >0 ->Our assumption of D
1
ON is correct
Check :
2/18
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S
and n.
V
T
25mV := n
V
D1
V
D2

( )
2.3V
T
log 10 ( )
:= I
S
I
e
V
D1
n V
T

1
:=
I
S
1.018 10
10
A =
n 1.739 =
The diode voltage at 10I for the diode is then
V
D3
V
D1
2.3n V
T
log 10 ( ) + := V
D3
0.8V =
(c) I=10.0 A, V
D@I
=VD1=800 mV, V
D@I/10
=VD2=700mV
I 10.0A := V
D1
800mV := V
D2
700mV :=
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S
and n.
V
T
25mV := n
V
D1
V
D2

( )
2.3V
T
log 10 ( )
:= I
S
I
e
V
D1
n V
T

1
:=
Solution
(a) I=10.0 mA, V
D@I
=VD1=700 mV, V
D@I/10
=VD2=600mV
I 10.0mA := V
D1
700mV := V
D2
600mV :=
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S
and n.
V
T
25mV := n
V
D1
V
D2

( )
2.3V
T
log 10 ( )
:= I
S
I
e
V
D1
n V
T

1
:=
I
S
1.018 10
9
A =
n 1.739 =
The diode voltage at 10I for the diode is then
V
D3
V
D1
2.3n V
T
log 10 ( ) + := V
D3
0.8V =
(b) I=1.0 mA, V
D@I
=VD1=700 mV, V
D@I/10
=VD2=600mV
I 1.0mA := V
D1
700mV := V
D2
600mV :=
3/18
V
D3
0.76V = V
D3
V
D1
2.3n V
T
log 10 ( ) + :=
The diode voltage at 10I for the diode is then
n 1.043 =
I
S
22.204 10
12
A =
I
S
I
e
V
D1
n V
T

1
:= n
V
D1
V
D2

( )
2.3V
T
log 10 ( )
:= V
T
25mV :=
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S
and n.
V
D2
640mV := V
D1
700mV := I 10.0A :=
(e) I=10.0 A, V
D@I
=VD1=700 mV, V
D@I/10
=VD2=640mV
V
D3
0.82V = V
D3
V
D1
2.3n V
T
log 10 ( ) + :=
The diode voltage at 10I for the diode is then
n 2.087 =
I
S
1.49 10
9
A =
I
S
I
e
V
D1
n V
T

1
:= n
V
D1
V
D2

( )
2.3V
T
log 10 ( )
:= V
T
25mV :=
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S
and n.
V
D2
580mV := V
D1
700mV := I 1.0mA :=
(d) I=1.0 mA, V
D@I
=VD1=700 mV, V
D@I/10
=VD2=580mV
V
D3
0.9V = V
D3
V
D1
2.3n V
T
log 10 ( ) + :=
The diode voltage at 10I for the diode is then
I
S
1.021 10
7
A = n 1.739 =
4/18
I
D1
I
D2

Find I
D1'
I
D2'
,
( )
:=
I
D2'
I
D1'

e
V
n V
T

=
I
D1'
I
D2'
+ 10mA =
Given
I
D2'
5 mA := I
D1'
5mA := Guess values:
From KVL ->V=V
D2
-V
D1
From KCL ->I
D1
+I
D2
=10mA
I
S
1.018 10
9
A = n 1.739 =
I
S
I
1
e
V
1
n V
T

1
:= n
V
2
V
1

( )
2.3V
T
log
I
2
I
1

:= V
T
25mV :=
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S
and n.
V 80mV :=
V
2
800mV := I
2
100.0mA := V
1
700mV := I
1
10.0mA :=
Solution
The two diodes are identical conducting 10mA at 0.7V and 100mA at 0.8V
Given
Find the value of R to have V=50 mV for the circuit shown below
3.26
5/18
I
S
I
D
e
V
D
n V
T

1
:= n 1 := V
T
25mV :=
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S

r
D
11.616 =
V
D0
0.641V =
V
D0
V
D2
r
D
I
D2
:= r
D
V
D2
V
D1

( )
I
D2
I
D1

( )
:=
V
D2
0.758V = I
D2
10mA =
V
D1
0.643V = I
D1
0.1mA =
V
D2
V
D
2.3n V
T
log
I
D2
I
D

+ := V
D1
V
D
2.3n V
T
log
I
D1
I
D

+ :=
I
D2
I
D
10 := I
D1
I
D
10
:=
Assume the two points of interest 1 and 2
n 1 := V
D
700mV := I
D
1.0mA :=
(a) I
D
=1.0 mA, V
D
=700 mV, and n=1
Solution
The diode voltage of the diode under consideration is measured
experimentally at a current I
D
and n is given
Given
For the following diodes find r
D
and V
D0
for which the straight line of the
battery plus resistor model intersect the real characteristics at 0.1I
D
and
10I
D
where I
D
is the given current in each case.
3.40
R 58.372 =
R
V
I
D1
:=
I
D2
8.629mA = I
D1
1.371mA = So the solution is
6/18
V
D2
V
D
2.3n V
T
log
I
D2
I
D

+ := V
D1
V
D
2.3n V
T
log
I
D1
I
D

+ :=
I
D2
I
D
10 := I
D1
I
D
10
:=
Assume the two points of interest 1 and 2
n 1 := V
D
700mV := I
D
1.0A :=
(b) I
D
=1.0 A, V
D
=700 mV, and n=1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0
0.002
0.004
0.006
0.008
0.01
(Volts)
(
A
m
p
s
)
I
D
V
D
( )
I
model
V
D
( )
V
D
V
D
0 volt .01volt , 1volt .. :=
Both equations are then plotted.
I
model
V
D
( )
V
D
V
D0

( )
V
D
V
D0

( )

r
D

:=
The equation for the diode model is then ( is the unit step function)
I
D
V
D
( )
I
S
e
V
D
n V
T

:=
The equation for the diode is then
I
S
6.914 10
13
mA =
7/18
V
D
0 volt .01volt , 1volt .. :=
Both equations are then plotted.
I
model
V
D
( )
V
D
V
D0

( )
V
D
V
D0

( )

r
D

:=
The equation for the diode model is then ( is the unit step function)
I
D
V
D
( )
I
S
e
V
D
n V
T

:=
The equation for the diode is then
I
S
6.914 10
10
mA =
I
S
I
D
e
V
D
n V
T

1
:= n 1 := V
T
25mV :=
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S

r
D
0.012 =
V
D0
0.641V =
V
D0
V
D2
r
D
I
D2
:= r
D
V
D2
V
D1

( )
I
D2
I
D1

( )
:=
V
D2
0.758V = I
D2
10A =
V
D1
0.643V = I
D1
100mA =
8/18
To find the equation for the diode, we first must find I
S

r
D
1.162 10
3
=
V
D0
0.641V =
V
D0
V
D2
r
D
I
D2
:= r
D
V
D2
V
D1

( )
I
D2
I
D1

( )
:=
V
D2
0.758V = I
D2
0.1mA =
V
D1
0.643V = I
D1
1A =
V
D2
V
D
2.3n V
T
log
I
D2
I
D

+ :=
V
D1
V
D
2.3n V
T
log
I
D1
I
D

+ :=
I
D2
I
D
10 := I
D1
I
D
10
:=
Assume the two points of interest 1 and 2
n 1 := V
D
700mV := I
D
10.0A :=
(c) I
D
=10.0 A, V
D
=700 mV, and n=1
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0
2
4
6
8
10
(Volts)
(
A
m
p
s
)
I
D
V
D
( )
I
model
V
D
( )
V
D
9/18
V
T
25mV := n 1 := I
S
I
D
e
V
D
n V
T

1
:=
I
S
6.914 10
15
mA =
The equation for the diode is then
I
D
V
D
( )
I
S
e
V
D
n V
T

:=
The equation for the diode model is then ( is the unit step function)
I
model
V
D
( )
V
D
V
D0

( )
V
D
V
D0

( )

r
D

:=
Both equations are then plotted.
V
D
0 volt .01volt , 1volt .. :=
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0
2
.
10
5
4
.
10
5
6
.
10
5
8
.
10
5
1
.
10
4
(Volts)
(
A
m
p
s
)
I
D
V
D
( )
I
model
V
D
( )
V
D
10/18
The right figure shows the circuit with the zener diode replaced with its model.
V
Z0
7.14volt = V
Z0
V
Z
r
z
I
Z
:=
First we must determine the value of the parameter V
Z0
of the
zener diode model.
Solution
R
L
1.2k :=
V
S
1
1

volt :=
but can vary by
V
S
10volt :=
I
ZK
0.5mA := r
z
30 :=
I
Z
12mA :=
at
V
Z
7.5volt :=
Given
Design a 7.5 -V zener regulator circuit using a 7.5-V zener diode, 10-V
supply (V
S
) and assuming a load of 1.2 k .
(a) What is the value of R you chosen.
(b) Find the change in V
O
resulting from the 10% change in V
S
.
(c) Find V
O
if V
S
is 10% high and the load is removed.
(d) What is the minimum value of R
L
for which the diode still
operated in the breakdown region (assuming V
S
is 10% low) ?
3.68
11/18
I
V
S
V
S
0
+ V
Z0

R r
z
+
:=
V
O
V
Z0
r
z
I + := V
O
7.554V =
(d) For the zener to be at the edge of the breakdown region while V
S
is 10% lower,
I
ZK
0.5mA = V
ZK
V
Z0
I
ZK
r
z
+ := V
ZK
7.155V =
At this point, the lowest current supplied through R is
I
R
V
S
V
S
0
V
ZK

R
:= I
R
7.38mA =
Thus the load current is
I
Lmin
I
R
I
ZK
:= I
Lmin
6.88mA =
and the corresponding value of the load resistance is
R
Lmin
V
ZK
I
Lmin
:= R
Lmin
1.04k =
(a) With the load connected, the value of R may be calculated as follows:
V
O
7.5volt :=
I
L
V
O
R
L
:=
I
L
6.25mA =
Assume we will design for
I 10mA :=
I
Z
I I
L
:= I
Z
3.75mA =
>I
ZK
which will guarantee that our
diode in zener region
R
V
S
V
O

( )
I
:= R 250 =
Please note that you can design for I
Z
=I
ZK
which will give the maximum resistance
(better for line regulation). However, if V
S
is lowered your zener will be out of zener
region and it will not act as a regulator anymore.
(b) For a 10% (1V) change in V
S
, the change in output voltage can be found from
r
z1
=r
z
||R
L

r
z1
r
z
R
L

( )
r
z
R
L
+
:=
V
O
V
S
r
z1
R r
z1
+
:= V
O
104.803
104.803

mV =
(c) When the load is removed, and V
S
is 10% high
12/18
The equation is plotted.below
V
O
V
I
( )
V
I
V
D0
+
( )
1 V
I
V
D0
+
( )

( )

:=
The equation for output voltage is then ( is the unit step function)
At first you have to find the regions at which the diode is on or off:
If v
s
is less than -0.7V the diode will be off ->v
o
=0
If v
s
is more than -0.7V the diode will be on ->v
o
=v
s
+0.7V
(a) Transfer characteristics:
The rectifier circuit with
the diode replaced by its
model
Solution
R 1.5k := V
P
15volt := V
D0
0.7volt :=
Use the CVD model for the diode with V
DO
=0.7V and assume the input
is sinusoidal with maximum V
P
Given
For the rectifier circuit shown below:
(a) Sketch the transfer characteristics
(b) Sketch the waveform of V
O
(c) Find the average voltage of V
O
(d) Find the peak current in the diode
(e) Find the PIV of the diode
3.72
13/18
3 2 1 0 1
3
2
1
0
(Volts)
(
V
o
l
t
s
)
V
O
V
I
( )
V
I
(b) Output Waveform
V
I
t
( )
V
P
sin t
( )
:= V
O
t
( )
V
I
t
( )
V
D0
+
( )
1 V
I
t
( )
V
D0
+
( )

( )

:=
10 5 0 5 10
10
0
10
(rad)
(
V
o
l
t
s
)
V
O
t ( )
V
I
t ( )
t
To see the effect of V
D0
on the output waveform compared to the ideal diode
case let us consider the waveform if the peak input voltage is 2V only.
V
I1
t
( )
2 sin t
( )
:= V
O1
t
( )
V
I1
t
( )
V
D0
+
( )
1 V
I1
t
( )
V
D0
+
( )

( )

:=
14/18
10 5 0 5 10
2
1
0
1
2
(rad)
(
V
o
l
t
s
)
V
O1
t ( )
V
I1
t ( )
t
(c) Average value of V
O
V
Oav
0
2
t V
O
t
( )

d
2
:= V
Oav
4.43 V =
Please note to calculate the average voltage by hand do the following:
(a) Assume a period from 0 to 2
(b) Calculate the angle at which the diode conduct =sin
-1
(V
DO
/V
P
)
(c) The diode will conduct from t=+ to t=2-
(d) Integrate V
I
(t) from t=+ to t=2- and divide be 2
(d) Peak diode current (I
DP
)
I
DP
V
P
V
D0

( )
R
:=
I
DP
9.533mA =
(d) Peak inverse voltage (PIV)
This happens when V
O
=0V (off diode) and V
I
(voltage at cathode) is
maximum
PIV V
P
:= PIV 15V =
3.95
Sketch the transfer characteristics if the inputs of the following two circuits
are tied together and the outputs are tied together
15/18
v
O
v
I
( )
2.7 1 2 v
I
( )

( )

1
2.7
v
I

m
+

1
m
:=
m 10 :=
v
O1
v
I
( )
2.7 2.7 v
I
+
( )
2.7 v
I
+
( )
+ v
I
2.7 +
( )
v
I
2.7
( )
+ :=
We can redraw the circuit as shown,
Now we can define three major areas
when the input voltage is +ve.
(a) If 0<v
I
<2.5V ->D
2
is off and D
1
is
off ->v
O
=v
I

(b) If 3.2<v
I
->D
2
is off and D
1
is fully
conduct ->v
O
=2.7V
(c) If 2.5<v
I
<3.2V ->D
2
is off and D
1

is on ->v
O
changes smoothly from
2.5V to 2.7V
Same arguments are true for the -ve
input voltage except that the sign
change and the role of D
1
and D
2
Solution
I
Dfull
1mA := at V
Dfull
0.7volt := V
Don
0.5volt :=
R 1 k := V
DD
3 volt :=
V
SS
3 volt :=
Assume that the diodes conducting at 0.5V and fully conduct at 0.7V
with I=1mA
Given
16/18
4 2 0 2 4
4
2
0
2
4
(Volts)
(
V
o
l
t
s
)
v
O1
v
I
( )
v
O
v
I
( )
v
I
The solid red curve is representing the transfer characteristics if we assume CVD
with V
D
=0.7V while the dotted blue one represent the smoothing characteristics as
in our problem.
3.104
Calculate the average (DC) value of the output from the shown circuit
Given
Assume that the diode is ideal
V
Irms
10volt :=
Solution
V
IP
V
Irms
2 := V
Oav
V
IP
:=
V
Oav
14.142 V =
17/18
18/18