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Diode Approxiation

The document discusses diode approximations, which are mathematical methods used to analyze the nonlinear behavior of diodes in circuits. It outlines three types of approximations: the first treats the diode as a closed switch with zero voltage drop, the second incorporates a forward voltage of 0.7V for silicon diodes, and the third includes both the diode voltage and bulk resistance. The third approximation is deemed the most accurate, as it accounts for the non-ideal behavior of diodes in practical applications.

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31 views

Diode Approxiation

The document discusses diode approximations, which are mathematical methods used to analyze the nonlinear behavior of diodes in circuits. It outlines three types of approximations: the first treats the diode as a closed switch with zero voltage drop, the second incorporates a forward voltage of 0.7V for silicon diodes, and the third includes both the diode voltage and bulk resistance. The third approximation is deemed the most accurate, as it accounts for the non-ideal behavior of diodes in practical applications.

Uploaded by

dhruv3003rathod
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Diode

Approximation
Dr. Subhanarayan Sahoo
Associate Professor
FEST,ADANI UNIVERSITY
Diode Approximation

• Diodes are mainly unidirectional devices.


• It offers low resistance when a forward or positive voltage is
applied and has high resistance when the diode is reverse
biased.
• An ideal diode has zero forward resistance and zero voltage
drop. The diode offers high reverse resistance, resulting in zero
reverse currents. Though ideal diodes do not exist, near-ideal
diodes are used in some applications.
What is Diode Approximation?

• Diode approximation is a mathematical method used to


approximate the nonlinear behavior of real diodes to enable
calculations and circuit analysis.
• There are three different approximations used to analyze the
diode circuits.
• Diode Approximations are how the Diodes present in the
circuit gets analyzed.
First Diode Approximation
• In the first approximation method, the diode is considered as a forward-
biased diode and as a closed switch with zero voltage drop.
• It is not to use in real-life circumstances but used only for general
approximations where preciseness is not required.
Generally in the theoretical analysis, we can use this concept but
practically this situation is impossible.
Second Diode Approximation
• the diode is considered as a forward-biased diode in series with a battery
to turn on the device. For a silicon diode to turn on, it needs 0.7V. A
voltage of 0.7V or greater is fed to turn on the forward-biased diode. The
diode turns off if the voltage is less than 0.7V.
the Diode can be made to function as a switch by applying the cut-off
voltages. For example, if the silicon is the semiconductor material used.
Then in this case, if the voltage applied exceeds 0.7 volts the Diode is in
ON mode. If it is below the minimum voltage then the diode is in OFF
mode. Therefore, in this way diode acts as a switch.
The second approximation adds the effect of the forward voltage.
Vknee is the “turn-on” potential required to overcome the energy hill.
It would be 0.7 volts for a silicon device.
Third Diode Approximation
• The third approximation of a diode includes voltage across the diode and
voltage across bulk resistance, RB. The bulk resistance is low, such as less
than 1 ohm and always less than 10 ohms.
• The bulk resistance, RB corresponds to the resistance of p and n materials.
This resistance changes based on the amount of forwarding voltage and the
current flowing through the diode at any given time.
• In this approximation, the cut-off voltage along with some
Internal Resistance across the Diode is observed. This
condition exists in the practical application in the design of
circuits. This type of resistance can be referred to as Bulk
Resistance. It is dependent upon the amount of the Forward
• The third approximation is the most accurate of the three.
• once the knee voltage is reached, the curve does not transition to a perfect
vertical line.
• Instead, there remains some positive, non-infinite slope. That is, the
voltage continues to increase, although modestly, with further increases in
current.
• We can approximate this effect as a small resistive value, Rbulk.
The voltage drop across the diode is calculated using the
formula
Vd = 0.7V + Id *RB
Look at both of the circuits and calculate using
the third approximation method of diode
For fig (a)
Adding 1kΩ resistor with bulk resistor 0.2Ω doesn’t make any difference in current
flowing
ID = 9.3/1000.2= 0.0093 A
If we don’t count 0.2Ω, then
ID = 9.3/1000=0.0093 A
For fig (b)
For load resistance of 5Ω, ignoring bulk resistance of 0.2Ω brings a difference in
current flow.
Therefore, bulk resistance has to be considered and the correct value of current is
1.7885 A.
ID=9.3/5.2=1.75885 A
If we don’t count 0.2Ω, then
ID=9.3/5=1.86 A
Summarizing, if the load resistance is small, the bulk resistance is taken into
effect. However, if the load resistance is very high (ranging to several kilo-
ohms), then bulk resistance has no effect on the current.
Assume the voltage source is 12 volts and the resistor is 2 kΩ. Further,
assume the diode is silicon and its bulk resistance is 10 Ω. Using the three
diode approximations, compute the circulating current.

Using the first approximation:


Here we assume the diode is a closed switch. Consequently all of the source
voltage must drop across the single resistor.
• Determine the circulating current for the circuit in
Figure

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