Half wave rectifier

Circuit Diagram

• The rectifier circuit cosists of resistive load, rectifying element, i.e. p-n junction diode and the source of a.c voltage, all connected in series
• To ontain the desired d.c voltage across the load, the a.c voltage is applied to rectifier circuit using suitable step-down, step-up transformer, mostly a step-down one with necessary turns ratio.

Operation of the Circuit

During positive half cyle of input a.c voltage, terminal (A) becomes positive with respect to terminal (B). The diode is forward biased and the current flows in the clockwise direction. This current is also flowing through the load resistance RL hence denoted as IL(load current).

1. During negative half cycle when terminal (A) is negative with respect to terminal (B), diode becomes reverse biased. Hence no current flows.
2. Thus the circuit, which is also the load current, is in the form of half sinusoidal pulses
• The load voltage, being the product of load current and load resistance, will also be in the form of half sinusoidal pulses.