DIODE APPROXIMATIONS

Karryle Wenzel Ashley Mendoza, Mc Jason Laurete, Jessequiel Tocaldo, Carol Gean Dael, Christian Arquillano
Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, Department of Chemical Engineering, Cagayan de Oro City
ABSTRACT. Circuit analysis of systems involving diode were performed experimentally and numerically by using three approximate
methods. The first approximation views the diode as an ideal diode that acts as a perfect switch and doesnt consume voltage and doesnt
have internal resistance. The second approximation accounts that the diode needs voltage in order to turn on. The third approximation
states that the diode consumes a specific voltage commonly 0.7V for silicon diode and voltage across the internal bulk resistance of the
diode.
KEYWORDS: Diode, Silicon
terminals of the diode when a forward voltage and current are
I. INTRODUCTION applied across the diode.[3]
The objective of the experiment is to apply the diode
approximations and measure the knee voltage and to calculate
bulk resistance using the change in voltage and current. Diode
approximations are used to analyze circuits, there are 3
approximations used for diodes in which the diode acts as a
switch. The first approximation views the diode as an ideal diode
that acts as a perfect switch and doesnt consume voltage and
doesnt have internal resistance [Fig. 1]. Being ideal, it is not used
for real-life situations but just as approximation when preciseness
isnt needed.[1]
FIGURE 3. Third diode approximation equivalent circuit for a silicon
diode
This changes according to the amount of forward voltage and
current going through the diode at any particular time which is
stated by the equation:

FIGURE 1. First diode approximation equivalent circuit
The second approximation accounts that the diode needs
voltage in order to turn on [Fig. 2]. This diode needs at least the
same voltage requirement a specific diode needs or else the diode
turns off.[2]
=
Where and is the change in voltage and current
respectively.
II. OBJECTIVES
The objective of the experiment is to apply the diode
approximations and measure the knee voltage and to calculate
bulk resistance using the change in voltage and current.

III. EXPERIMENTAL SECTION

The circuit was connected in series. The voltage was set to a

current of 10 mA. The voltage across the diode was then measured
and recorded. The voltage source was then increased from 10 mA
to 50 mA. The voltage across the diode was again measured at this
current. The voltage across the diode in 10 mA source is then to
be considered to be the knee voltage. The bulk resistance was then
calculated.
FIGURE 2. Second diode approximation equivalent circuit for a silicon
diode IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The third approximation states that the diode consumes a Diode approximations are a way to analyze diodes in circuits.
specific voltage commonly 0.7V for silicon diode and voltage There are 3 approximations that are used for diodes. In all
across the internal bulk resistance of the diode [Fig. 3]. The bulk approximations, the diode acts as a switch. There are 3
resistance of a diode is the approximate resistance across the approximations that are used for diodes.
 The first approximation is viewing the diode as an ideal diode. [5] http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Diode-
With this first approximation, the diode acts as a perfect switch approximations.php
that doesn't consume any voltage and doesn't have any internal
resistance. In the second approximation, the diode is seen as a
diode that needs voltage in order to turn on. For a silicon diode,
the diode needs about 0.7V in order to turn on. When forward
voltage is more than 0.7 V, the Si diode then it conducts and offers
zero resistance. The drop across the diode is 0.7V. In the third
approximation, the diode is seen as a diode that consumes 0.7V
(for silicon diode) and voltage across the internal bulk resistance
of the diode. [4] [5]
The bulk resistance, RB, of a diode is the approximate
resistance across the terminals of the diode when a forward
voltage and current are applied across the diode. The bulk
resistance represents the resistance of the p and n materials of the
p-n junction of the diode. The bulk resistance is not a fixed
resistance but a dynamic one. It changes according to the amount
of forward voltage and current going through the diode at any
particular time. The bulk resistance is then used to calculate the
total resistance that is present in a diode circuit. [5][3]

TABLE 1
Two Points on Forward Curve

I (mA) V (V)
10 7.1
50 15.37

TABLE 2
Diode Values

V knee 0.7 V
RB 395

V. ERROR ANALYSIS

The main source error were that the multitester was only
limited to two (not sure) significant figures so in some cases the
values that were measured were small thus may result into
inaccurate calculations. Another source of error is that the
resistance of the resistors used were from the values given by its
color coding so when checked by the ohmmeter the values from
the color coding were slightly off from the exact value from the
reading of the ohmmeter.

REFERENCES
[1] http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Diode-
approximations.php
[2] http://www.nptel.ac.in/courses/117107095/lecturers/lecture_
4/lecture4_page1.htm
[3] Kal, Santiram (2004). "Chapter 2". Basic Electronics:
Devices, Circuits and IT Fundamentals (Section 2.5: Circuit
Model of a P-N Junction Diode ed.). Prentice-Hall of India
Pvt.Ltd.
[4] http://studylib.net/doc/5717567/diode-approximations