Diodes

Load Line

plots all possible combinations of

diode current (ID) and voltage (VD) for a given circuit.

Half Wave Rectification

The diode conducts only when it is forward biased, therefore only half of the AC cycle passes through the diode to the output.

PIV

Because the diode is only forward biased for one-half of

the AC cycle, it is also reverse biased for one-half cycle.

Bridge Type Rectifier

A full-wave rectifier with four

diodes that are connected in a

bridge configuration

Center-Tapped Full Wave Rectifier

Requires two diodes and a

center-tapped transformer

Series Clipper

The diode

“clips” any voltage that does

not forward bias it:

Parallel Clippers

This diode

clipper circuit “clips”

any voltage that forward

biases it.

Clamper

A diode and capacitor

can be combined to

“clamp” an AC signal to

a specific DC level.

Zener Diode

is a diode that is

operated in reverse bias at

the Zener Voltage

Voltage-Multiplier Circuits

use a combination of diodes

and capacitors to step up the output voltage of rectifier

circuits.

Transformer

changes ac voltages based on the turns

ratio between the primary and secondary

Rectifier

converts the ac input voltage to a

pulsating dc voltage

Filter

eliminates the fluctuations in the rectified

voltage and produces a relatively smooth dc voltage.

Regulator

is a circuit that maintains a constant dc

voltage for variations in the input line voltage or in the

load

Load

is a circuit or device connected to the output

of the power supply and operates from the power

supply voltage and current.

Peak Inverse Voltage

equals the peak value of the input voltage,

and the diode must be capable of withstanding this amount of repetitive

reverse voltage.

Turns Ratio

“the number of turns in the secondary (Nsec) divided by the

number of turns in the primary

Full Wave Rectifier

allows unidirectional (one-way) current through the load

during the entire 360o of the input cycle,

Clipper Circuit

A wave shaping circuit which controls the shape of the

output waveform by removing or clipping a portion of the applied wave.

Diode clippers and Transistor clippers

Types of Clippers According to non linear devices used

Biased clippers and Unbiased clippers.

Types of Clippers According to biasong devices used

Positive clippers, Negative clippers and combination clippers

According to level of clipping

Filter

is simply a capacitor connected from

the rectifier output to ground.

Ripple Voltage

The variation in the capacitor voltage due to

the charging and discharging

Ripple Factor

is an indication of the effectiveness

of the filter

Line Regulation

specifies ow much change occurs in the output voltage for a given change in the input voltage

Load Regulation

specifies how much change occurs in the output voltage over a certain range of load current values

Zener Diode

is a silicon pn

junction device that is

designed for operation in the

reverse-breakdown region.

Varactor

is a diode that always operates in

reverse bias and is doped to maximize the

inherent capacitance of the depletion region

Q point

It means Quiescent Point. Quiescent means quiet, still or

inactive.

Fixed Bias

It has poor stability because

its Q-point varies widely

with β.

Emitter Bias Configuration

It is a fixed bias circuit with emitter resistor.

Stability

is a measure of how well an amplifier maintains

its design values

Exact

Type of Voltage Divider Method where it can be applied anywhere

Approximate

Type of Voltage Divider Method where it can only be applied if certain conditions are satisfied

Voltage Divider Network

Transistor network that is less dependent on beta.

Collector Feedback

Another way to improve

the stability of a bias

circuit is to add a

feedback path from

collector to base.

Emitter Follower

A configuration where the output voltage is taken

off the emitter terminal. Type of common collector feedback

Common Base

The applied signal connected to the emitter

terminal and the base is at, or just above, ground

potential.