ELT 142 Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices

Lecture Hours: 2
Lab Hours: 3
Credits: 3

Covers the fundamentals of basic diode rectifier, multiplier, and transistor voltage regulators and current limiting circuits. Introduces the operating principles of solid-state devices such as unijunction transistors, special purpose diodes, photovoltaic cells, thyristors, and optoelectronic devices. Promotes and supports sustainable and green technologies.

Prerequisite: ELT 141 with a grade of C or better; or consent of instructor.
Student Learning Outcomes:

Perform basic design calculations on diode rectifier circuits and discrete-component, simple series-pass power supply regulator circuits including current limiting.
Analyze, build, and troubleshoot discrete rectifier power supplies including voltage multipliers, and discrete voltage regulator circuits, with and without current limiting.
Analyze, build, troubleshoot, and perform basic calculations for circuit designs using solid state switching, triggering, and power control components such as UJTs, SCRs, TRIACs, and optoelectronic devices.
Analyze, build, troubleshoot, and perform basic calculations for circuit designs using photovoltaic cells.
Interpret technical data sheets of different devices to assemble, test, and evaluate the designed semiconductor device circuits, and produce technical lab reports.

Content Outline

Basic Rectifier Circuits
- Rectifier diode specifications
  - Peak inverse voltage
  - Forward voltage drop
  - Peak forward current
- Half-wave rectification
  - Output voltage - peak and average
  - Output load current
  - Diode PIV requirements
  - Ripple voltage and frequency
  - Ripple factor
- Full-wave (FWCT) rectification
  - Output voltage - peak and average
  - Output load current
  - Diode PIV requirements
  - Ripple voltage and frequency
  - Ripple factor
- Bridge rectifier circuits
  - Bridge circuit operation
  - Positive output bridge
  - Negative output bridge
  - Diode PIV requirements
  - Plus-minus output bridge (FWCT bridge)
  - Advantages of bridge circuits
- Applications of various rectifier circuits
Rectifier Filter Circuits
- Capacitive input filters
  - Capacitive filters (RC filters) for half- and full-wave rectifiers
  - Diode requirements for capacitive input filter circuits
  - Ripple factor in half- and full-wave RC filter circuits
  - Peak and average load currents and surge current protection for diodes
  - Peak and average load voltages for capacitive input filter circuits
  - The pi (π) CRC filter circuit
  - Peak load current, voltage, and ripple factor for the pi (π) CRC filter
  - Advantages and disadvantages and applications of RC and pi (π) CRC filters
- Inductive input filters
  - Inductive filters (LC filters) for half- and full-wave rectifiers
  - Diode requirements for inductive input filter circuits
  - Ripple factor in half- and full-wave LC filter circuits
  - Peak and average load currents and surge current protection for diodes
  - Peak and average load voltages for inductive input filter circuits
  - The pi (π) CLC filter circuit
  - Peak load current and voltage and ripple factor for the pi CLC filter
  - Advantages and disadvantages and applications of LC and pi CLC filters
Voltage Multiplier Circuits
- Peak detectors
- Peak-to-peak detectors
- Half-wave voltage doublers
- Half-wave voltage triplers and quadruplers
- Full-wave voltage doublers
Zener Voltage Regulators
- Zener diode
  - Theory of operation
  - Specifications
- Zener shunt regulators
  - Theory of operation
  - Current limiting resistance
  - Zener current and voltage operating ranges
- Zener series regulators
  - Theory of operation
  - Applications
Transistor Voltage Regulators
- Series-pass voltage regulators
  - Theory of operation
  - The SPE-series pass element
  - Input to output minimum required voltage differential
  - The control element of the regulator
  - Voltage reference section
  - Voltage error detection section
  - Fixed voltage regulator
  - Variable voltage regulator
  - Adding a darlington circuit for improved control
- Current limiting circuits
  - Short circuit protection
  - Foldback current limiting with short circuit protection
Unijunction Circuits
- UJT transistors
  - Basic Construction, Operation, and Circuit Symbol
  - Interbase Resistance
  - Intrinsic Standoff Ratio
  - Peak and valley voltages and currents
- UJT application circuits
  - Relaxation oscillator
  - Sawtooth waveform generator
  - Trigger source for a SCR lighting control system
  - UJT circuit parameters for design
- Programmable unijunction transistors
  - Basic construction, operation, and symbol
  - Electrical characteristics and specifications
  - Application circuits
Thyristor Devices and Circuits
- The silicon controlled rectifier
  - Basic construction, operation, and circuit symbol
  - Electrical characteristics and specifications
  - Applications
- The SCS-silicon controlled switch
  - Basic construction, operation, and circuit symbol
  - Electrical characteristics and specifications
  - Applications
- The SUS-silicon Unilateral Switch
  - Basic construction, operation, and circuit symbol
  - Electrical characteristics and specifications
  - Applications
- The SBS-silicon bilateral switch
  - Basic construction, operation, and circuit symbol
  - Electrical characteristics and specifications
  - Applications
- The TRIAC
  - Basic construction, operation, and circuit symbol
  - Electrical characteristics and specifications
  - Triggering and phase-control
  - Determining conduction and firing angles
  - Applications of TRIACs
Optoelectronic Devices
- LED’s
- Photo transistors
- Photo diodes
- LASCR’s
- Optocouplers
- Photo cells
Photovoltaic Cells
- Basic construction, operation, and circuit symbol
- Electrical characteristics and specifications
- Applications
Special Purpose Diodes
- Varactor
- Schottky
- Tunnel
- PIN, step recovery, IMPATT, gunn
Other Microwave/Communication Semiconductor Diodes
Relation to Sustainable and Green Technologies