A half-wave rectifier is a type of rectifier that allows only one half-cycle of the AC waveform to pass through, resulting in a pulsating DC output. It is a simple rectification method but less efficient.
What is Rectification
One of the most popular application of the diode is rectification. Simply defined, rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). This involves a device that only allows one-way flow of electrons. As we have seen, this is exactly what a semi- conductor diode does.
What is Half-Wave Rectifier
The simplest kind of rectifier circuit is the half-wave rectifier. It only allows one half of an AC waveform to pass through to the load.
For most power applications, half-wave rectification is insufficient for the task. The har- monic content of the rectifier’s output waveform is very large and consequently difficult to filter. Furthermore, the AC power source only supplies power to the load one half every full cycle, meaning that half of its capacity is unused. Half-wave rectification is, however, a very simple way to reduce power to a resistive load.