IN THIS CHAPTER YOU WILL LEARN
1. The characteristics of the ideal diode and how to analyze and design circuits containing multiple ideal diodes together with resistors and dc
sources to realize useful and interesting nonlinear functions.
2. The details of the i–v characteristic of the junction diode (which was derived in Chapter 3) and how to use it to analyze diode circuits operating
in the various bias regions: forward, reverse, and breakdown.
3. A simple but effective model of the diode i–v characteristic in the forward direction; the constant-voltage-drop model.
4. A powerful technique for the application and modeling of the diode (and
in later chapters, transistors): dc-biasing the diode and modeling its operation for small signals around the dc operating point by means of the
small-signal model.
5. The use of a string of forward-biased diodes and of diodes operating in
the breakdown region (zener diodes), to provide constant dc voltages
(voltage regulators).
6. Application of the diode in the design of rectifier circuits, which convert
ac voltages to dc as needed for powering electronic equipment.
7. A number of other practical and important applications of diodes.