A full-wave rectifier fixes the main drawback of a half-wave rectifier by converting both the positive and negative halves of the AC cycle into direct current, instead of using only half the cycle.
Circuit design
This design relies on a center-tapped transformer with two diodes that alternate conducting: the first diode conducts during the positive half of the cycle, and the second takes over during the negative half.
Output voltage compared to half-wave
Making use of the full cycle produces an effective DC voltage roughly double that of a half-wave rectifier: while the latter gives about 31.8% of the peak value, a full-wave rectifier reaches about 63.6% of the peak value.
Less ripple, higher frequency
By making use of both cycles, the output voltage has much less ripple, which simplifies subsequent filtering. The resulting signal frequency also doubles compared to the input frequency; a 60Hz AC source produces 120Hz ripple.
A practical limitation
This design requires a center-tapped transformer, raising cost and size compared to alternatives, and only half of the secondary winding contributes to rectification at any moment, reducing efficiency compared to a full bridge rectifier that uses four diodes.
You can find diodes and basic transformers for rectifier circuits at Juthour Tech.
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