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NUMBER
DATE GROUP
PARTICIPATION
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As you already discovered in the lectures, diodes do a useful trick for us. They allow
current to flow in one direction only. Diodes are like a one-way valve.
(Yes) (No)
Systems Engineering students already dealt with the full-wave bridge rectifier in
“fundamentals of EE” (Electrical Engineering students will conduct this experiment in
an EE2 lab). The rectifier contained 4 diodes and allowed to convert an AC current
into a DC current:
This is the basic circuit.
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The in- and output looked like this (input: blue):
The capacitor (C) causes the output voltage to look more like a straight line. The
higher the capacitance is, the lower
the ripple is. (Recall the lab for “EE”).
The small difference between the
peak values of both curves (the input
and the output) emerges from the
voltage drop across the diodes. Until
now we looked at diodes as a perfect
“valve”.
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TASK: Diode current-voltage characteristic
Prepare:
What is the expected voltage drop of a silicon diode? ______
Task:
As a first experiment you will prove that diodes really act like valves. Set up circuit a
shown below.
U = 12V U = 12V
1N4007 1N4007
The light bulb should now be glowing. Measure the voltage drop across the diode:
UD,forward = ________
Change the orientation of the diode (circuit b) and measure the voltage drop again:
UD,reverse = ________
IF IR
R = 1 kΩ R = 1 kΩ
UF UR
You are going take some measurements in order to record the I/U curve of the diode.
First setup circuit c and take the readings specified in the table.
IF [mA]
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Now change for circuit d, notice that there is a change from voltage consistent
measurement to current consistent measurement. Again record the specified values.
UR [V] 0 5 10 15 20 25
IR [mA]
50
40
30
20
10
UR [V] UF [V]
20 15 10 5 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8
20
40
IR [mA]
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TASK 2: Zener diodes in power applications
Today we're going to use another type of diodes – the Zener, or in Germany just
called “Z-Diode”:
This is the symbol, you find very often in SPICE, or E-CAD Programs:
Forward
But you'll find these symbols, too: Biased
UZ
Reverse
Biased
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Here the steadiness of the output voltage depends on the input voltage and the
Zener-current.
First we will have a look at the effect of changing the Zener-current. This is our Zener
characteristic:
Forward
Biased
UZ
Reverse
Biased
If we combine this characteristic with the load line, we can estimate the operating
point:
U UZ
S
≈Uout
UR Uo
Soperating ut
point
US / RL
What happens, if we decrease the resistor can be seen here. The load line will be
uplifted and the operating point displaced. The output voltage falls below the Zener
voltage if the current is not high enough:
Uout
U UZ
Soperating
US / RL (smaller
point
now)
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In this task we will explore the effect of changing Zener current on the output voltage.
Pot. value
[Ω]
Zener
current [A]
UOUT [V]
If we change the input voltage, nearly the same effect occurs: The operating point will
be displaced; the output voltage becomes “unstabilized”:
Uout
US
U UZ (decreased UZ
S
≈Uout )
operating
UR Uo point
Soperating ut
point
US / RL US / RL (R stays
the same)
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Build up a circuit with a Zener (3.3 V and 10 V)
and a 1k resistor.
CH 1 CH 2
Vary the input voltage in a range 0 – 18 V and
note down the output voltage.
UINP [V]
UOUT_3.3 [V]
UOUT_10 [V]
Now replace the voltage source by a function generator and apply a 100 Hz sine
of 2 Vpp and 7 V offset (3.3 V Zener). Scope the input and output and sketch them
into this diagram:
Vary the amplitude of the input voltage and note until which value the output stays
stable.
What happens, if you continue increasing the amplitude? Sketch this situation in the
second diagram and explain in your own words (to script!).
Reflect on the output of the full wave bridge rectifier. Do you see the similarity of its
output compared to our 100 Hz sine with offset? If we would combine the FBR with
this little Zener circuit, we would have a quite constant (regulated) DC voltage source.
An AC voltage would be converted into a stabilized DC voltage. But a practical
voltage source would never (hardly ever) use a naked Zener like the one we just
build up. It would always include a transistor or an op-amp. The Zener circuit would
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only be used as a reference voltage source. Linear voltage regulators like the 780X
series use just such a scheme. You will get to know these circuits in the upcoming
labs.
At least you should better understand those regulator circuits for having glimpsed the
Zener today.
In this next task we are going to leave the region of power applications of diodes and
enter the world of signals and signal conditioning using diodes. We start with this
simple set of commonly used diode circuits. What should the output look like, if we
apply a 20 Vpp sine on the input?
Prepare:
Draw / sketch the outputs. Think about the current drawn from the source. How does
the current flow look like? Draw your suggestion into the same sketch. And explain
your suggestions!
Build up these circuits and see if your suggestions were right (use a 1k resistor and
20Vpp).
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Analysis: Explain how and why those signal conditioning circuits work (to script!)
Prepare: How do you think the output looks like? Draw a sketch in the diagram and
explain!
1N4007
Input
Task: Build up the circuit and check out, if your suggestion is correct!
What does the 2.2 k load resistor do? Try removing it.
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