How does a diode work in a power supply?

A diode in a power supply allows current to flow in only one direction.

A diode is a semiconductor device that allows current to flow in only one direction. It has two terminals, the anode and the cathode. When a voltage is applied to the anode that is greater than the voltage at the cathode, the diode becomes forward-biased and allows current to flow through it. However, if the voltage at the cathode is greater than the voltage at the anode, the diode becomes reverse-biased and does not allow current to flow.

In a power supply, a diode is often used as a rectifier to convert AC voltage to DC voltage. The AC voltage is applied to the input of the power supply, and the diode allows only the positive half of the AC waveform to pass through, while blocking the negative half. This results in a pulsating DC voltage at the output of the power supply.

To smooth out the pulsating DC voltage, a capacitor is often used in conjunction with the diode. The capacitor charges up during the positive half of the waveform and discharges during the negative half, providing a more stable DC voltage at the output.

Overall, the diode plays a crucial role in converting AC voltage to DC voltage in a power supply, allowing current to flow in only one direction and enabling the use of other components such as capacitors to smooth out the output voltage.