What is Zener diode used for?

Zener diodes are widely used as voltage references and as shunt regulators to regulate the voltage across small circuits. When connected in parallel with a variable voltage source so that it is reverse biased, a Zener diode conducts when the voltage reaches the diode’s reverse breakdown voltage.

What is the working principle of Zener diode?

Zener Diode Working Principle That is, in forward bias it allows current, and in reverse bias it blocks current. After this voltage has surpassed the breakdown point (in reverse bias), the diode falls in the Zener region, where it conducts without getting damaged. Current in this region is called avalanche current.

How is a Zener diode connected into a circuit?

The zener diode is connected with its cathode terminal connected to the positive rail of the DC supply so it is reverse biased and will be operating in its breakdown condition. Resistor RS is selected so to limit the maximum current flowing in the circuit.

What is ideal Zener diode?

For an ideal diode, no current at all passes when the voltage is less than zero: the diode completely prevents reverse current flow. For small positive voltage (“forward bias,” or sometimes “foward voltage”), a tiny amount of current may flow, and a very large amount of current will flow above a given threshold.

What is the most useful characteristic of a Zener diode?

What is the most useful characteristic of a Zener diode? A Zener Diode is a diode that allows voltage to flow from anode to cathode under normal circumstances, but also allows voltage to reverse direction (called the Zener effect) when it reaches its Zener Voltage. They are commonly used in voltage reference circuits.

What happens when Zener diode breakdown?

What is Zener Breakdown? The Zener breakdown mainly occurs because of a high electric field. When the high electric-field is applied across the PN junction diode, then the electrons start flowing across the PN-junction. Therefore, the flow of current in the diode is incomplete the diode will not damage the PN-junction.

What are the limitations of a Zener diode?

Zener diode cancels out voltage by applying an even larger voltage in the reverse direction wasting electricity in the process. A Zener diode has a relatively poor regulation ratio and is generally not as good as the transistor.

What is a Zener diode?

A Zener Diode, also known as a breakdown diode, is a heavily doped semiconductor device that is designed to operate in the reverse direction. When the voltage across the terminals of a Zener diode is reversed and the potential reaches the Zener Voltage (knee voltage), the junction breaks down and the current flows in the reverse direction.

How do you test if a Zener diode is stable?

The stabilized output voltage V out is taken from across the zener diode. To test whether the zener diode is operating in the breakdown region, we need to calculate how much Thevenin voltage the diode is facing. Thevenin voltage is the voltage that exists when the zener diode is disconnected from the circuit.

What is the Zener voltage of a 1n4732a diode?

For example, the Zener voltage for a 1N4732A ranges from 4.465 to 4.935V with a typical value of 4.7V at a test current of 53mA. 3. Knee Current (IZK) There is a minimum current required to keep the diode in breakdown for voltage regulation.

How do you reverse bias a Zener diode?

To operate the zener diode in its breakdown condition, the zener diode is reverse biased by connecting its cathode to the positive terminal of the input supply. A series (current-limiting) resistor R S is connected in series with the zener diode so that the current flowing through the diode is less than its maximum current rating.