Michael Lance Mioza

BSEE 3

SO12

ACTIVITY 3
FULL-WAVE RECTIFIER
I.

OBJECTIVE
To study the characteristics and operation of full-wave rectifiers.

II.

BASIC CONCEPTS

Diode
In

electronics,

diode

is

two-terminal

electronic

component

with

asymmetric conductance; it has low (ideally zero) resistance to current in one direction, and
high (ideally infinite) resistance in the other. A semiconductor diode, the most common type
today, is a crystalline piece of semiconductor material with a pn junction connected to two
electrical terminals.
The most common function of a diode is to allow an electric current to pass in one
direction (called the diode's forward direction), while blocking current in the opposite
direction (the reverse direction). Thus, the diode can be viewed as an electronic version of
a check valve. This unidirectional behavior is called rectification, and is used to
convert alternating current to direct current, including extraction of modulation from radio
signals in radio receiversthese diodes are forms of rectifiers. [1]

Figure 3.A Diode

Graphical symbol for diode. Symbol is used mostly in circuit diagrams especially
electric circuit analysis

Resistor
A resistor is a passive two-terminal electrical component that implements electrical
resistance as a circuit element. Resistors act to reduce current flow, and, at the same time,
act to lower voltage levels within circuits. Resistors may have fixed resistances or variable
resistances,

such

as

those

found

in thermistors, varistors, trimmers, photoresistors, humistors, piezoresistors and potentio

meters.

Figure 3.B Resistor

Graphical symbol for resistor. Symbol is used mostly in circuit diagrams especially electric
circuit analysis

The current through a resistor is in direct proportion to the voltage across the resistor's
terminals. This relationship is represented by Ohm's law:

where I is the current through the conductor in units of amperes, V is the potential
difference measured across the conductor in units of volts, and R is the resistance of the
conductor in units of ohms (symbol: ).
The ratio of the voltage applied across a resistor's terminals to the intensity of current in
the circuit is called its resistance, and this can be assumed to be a constant (independent of
the voltage) for ordinary resistors working within their ratings. [2]

Forward Bias
In forward bias, positive terminal of the battery is connected to the p- type material and
negative terminal is connected to the n- type material so that holes are injected into the ptype material and electrons into the n-type material. The electrons in the n-type material are
called majority carriers on that side, but electrons that make it to the p-type side are
called minority carriers. The same descriptors apply to holes: they are majority carriers on
the p-type side, and minority carriers on the n-type side. [3]

Reverse Bias
Connecting the P-type region to the negative terminal of the battery and the N-type region
to the positive terminal corresponds to reverse bias. If a diode is reverse-biased, the voltage
at the cathode is higher than that at the anode. Therefore, no current will flow until the diode
breaks down. Reverse-bias usually refers to how a diode is used in a circuit. The connections
are illustrated in the diagram to the right.
Because the p-type material is now connected to the negative terminal of the power
supply, the 'holes' in the P-type material are pulled away from the junction, causing the width
of the depletion zone to increase. Likewise, because the N-type region is connected to the
positive terminal, the electrons will also be pulled away from the junction. Therefore,
the depletion region widens, and does so increasingly with increasing reverse-bias voltage.
This increases the voltage barrier causing a high resistance to the flow of charge carriers, thus
allowing minimal electric current to cross the pn junction. The increase in resistance of the
pn junction results in the junction behaving as an insulator. [4]
Rectifier
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC), which periodically
reverses direction, to direct current (DC), which flows in only one direction. The process is
known as rectification. Physically, rectifiers take a number of forms, including vacuum
tube diodes, mercury-arc valves, copper and selenium oxide rectifiers, semiconductor

diodes, silicon-controlled rectifiers and other silicon-based semiconductor switches.

Historically, even synchronous electromechanical switches and motors have been used. Early
radio receivers, called crystal radios, used a "cat's whisker" of fine wire pressing on a crystal
of galena (lead sulfide) to serve as a point-contact rectifier or "crystal detector".
Rectifiers have many uses, but are often found serving as components of DC power
supplies and high-voltage direct current power transmission systems. Rectification may serve
in roles other than to generate direct current for use as a source of power. As noted,
detectors of radio signals serve as rectifiers. In gas heating systems flame rectification is used
to detect presence of flame.
Because of the alternating nature of the input AC sine wave, the process of rectification
alone produces a DC current that, though unidirectional, consists of pulses of current. Many
applications of rectifiers, such as power supplies for radio, television and computer
equipment, require a steady constant DC current (as would be produced by a battery). In
these applications the output of the rectifier is smoothed by an electronic filter to produce a
steady current. [5]
Full-wave Rectifier
A full-wave rectifier converts the whole of the input waveform to one of constant polarity
(positive or negative) at its output. Full-wave rectification converts both polarities of the input
waveform to pulsating DC (direct current), and yields a higher average output voltage. Two
diodes and a center tapped transformer, or four diodes in a bridge configuration and any AC
source (including a transformer without center tap), are needed. Single semiconductor
diodes, double diodes with common cathode or common anode, and four-diode bridges, are
manufactured as single components. [6]

Sine/Sinusoidal Wave
The sine wave or sinusoid is a mathematical curve that describes a smooth
repetitive oscillation. It is named after the function sine, of which it is the graph. It occurs
often in pure and applied mathematics, as well as physics, engineering, signal processing and
many other fields. Its most basic form as a function of time (t) is:

where:

A, the amplitude, is the peak deviation of the function from zero.

f, the ordinary frequency, is the number of oscillations (cycles) that occur each second
of time.

= 2f, the angular frequency, is the rate of change of the function argument in units
of radians per second

, the phase, specifies (in radians) where in its cycle the oscillation is at t = 0.

When
amount

is non-zero, the entire waveform appears to be shifted in time by the

/ seconds. A negative value represents a delay, and a positive value

represents an advance. [7]

III.

MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT
Oscilloscope
1k Ohm resistor
1N4001 diodes
Breadboard
AC Function Generator
Connectors

IV.

PROCEDURE

1. Using the breadboard, diode (1N4001), 10k ohm resistor, the circuit was constructed
as shown in Figure 2.2

Figure 3.C Half-wave rectification

2. AC Function Generator was calibrated to sine wave and set to 15 Hz of oscillation. It

was then connected to the circuit.
3. Oscilloscope was connected at the resistor in parallel through channel A. Channel B
was put in parallel with the AC function generator to observe the response of the
circuit when the function generator is switched on.
4. Vary input frequency, voltage, wave and amplitude.
5. The data shown in the oscilloscope was gathered.

V.

GRAPH/DATA

WAVE VARIANCE

FIGURE 3.D 10Vp 1kHz Sinusoidal Wave

FIGURE 3.E 10Vp 1kHz Triangular Wave

GRAPH 3.F 10Vp 1kHz Rectangular Pulse Wave

FREQUENCY VARIANCE

FIGURE 3.G 10Vp 1kHz Sinusoidal Wave

FIGURE 3.H 10Vp 2kHz Sinusoidal Wave

FIGURE 3.I 10Vp 3kHz Sinusoidal Wave

VOLTAGE VARIANCE

FIGURE 3.J 10Vp 1kHz Sinusoidal Wave

FIGURE 3.K 50Vp 1kHz Sinusoidal Wave

FIGURE 3.L 100Vp 1kHz Sinusoidal Wave

VI.

CONCLUSION
Full-wave rectification is only a revamped method of half-wave rectification. In the

process of half-wave rectification, only one polarity or half side of the sine wav is being
rectified, the full-wave rectification on the other hand allows rectification of full AC sine wave.
The way the circuit is constructed is the key of its major feature. At the start of oscillation of
the AC wave it enters the first node where there is 2 paths to choose. Both having diode but
in different orientation. On the circuit given, either Diode 1 or Diode 2 will let the current to
pass through which depends to the polarity of the given current. Since one side will to be
open-circuit and the other allows the current to pass through. Any polarity of the wave will
be rectified thus preventing power loss which is a big case in half-wave rectifier.

REFERENCE LIST

[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode)
[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistor)
[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_bias#Forward_bias)
[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_bias#Reverse_bias)
[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectification)
[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectifier#Full-wave_rectification)
[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sine_wave)