Transient Response of Junction Diodes

The relationship between the performance of junction diodes in pulse circuits and rectifier circuits is developed. Parameters of a lumped model of a junction diode are determined from recovery-time measurements of the diode in a pulse circuit. The response of the diode in single-diode and bridge-rectifier circuits is then predicted by computation using the lumped model. The computed rectification efficiencies and waveforms are found to correspond closely to measured results. Thus a simple lumped model of only two free parameters accurately represents the behavior of junction diodes in pulse and rectifier circuits. The detailed analysis given deals with the short-base diode (the base length being short compared to a diffusion length) though the method is applicable to the long-base case as well.