Electronics and Communication Engineering Electronics Devices and Circuits Lab

EXPT NO: 2.

ZENER DIODE CHARACTERISTICS

AIM: -
1. To study the volt-Ampere characteristics of a given Zener diode under
a) Forward bias. b) Reverse bias.
2. To find the Zener breakdown voltage in reversed biased condition.

EQUIPMENTS & COMPONENTS REQUIRED: -

S.No Device Range/Rating Qty

1. a) Regulated DC supply voltage 0-30V 1
b) Diode 1N4735A or BZ6.2v,5.6v 12
c) Resistors or 3.9V 1
1k ,10k
2. Voltmeter 0-1V,0-20V 1
3. Ammeter 0-10mA,200mA 1
4. Connecting wires & bread board

Theory:-

A zener diode is heavily doped p-n junction diode, specially made to operate in the break
down region. A p-n junction diode normally does not conduct when reverse biased. But if the
reverse bias is increased, at a particular voltage it starts conducting heavily. This voltage is called
Break down Voltage. High current through the diode can permanently damage the device. To
avoid high current, we connect a resistor in series with zener diode. Once the diode starts
conducting it maintains almost constant voltage across the terminals whatever may be the current
through it, i.e., it has very low dynamic resistance. It is used in voltage regulators. It is also
called as stabilizer diode or stabilitrons or constant voltage device.
Zener diodes are more heavily doped (around 1 x105) as compared to ordinary diodes (1
x108) and they have a narrow depletion layer.
The breaks down mechanisms are of two types.
(i) avalanche breakdown
(ii) Zener break down

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(iii) In avalanche breakdown mechanism, thermally generated electrons & holes
acquire sufficient energy from the applied potential to produce new carriers by
removing valance electrons from their bonds. These new carriers, in turn produce
new carriers (called avalanche multiplication).

In zener breakdown mechanism, very high electric field intensity across the narrow
depletion region directly forces carries out of their bonds.
During breakdown the voltage across the diode remains constant, independent to the current that
flows through it. Because of this property a Zener diode serves as Voltage Stabilizer or voltage
reference and break down occurs by avalanching in Zener diodes having break down voltages
greater than 8V. It occurs by a combination of both mechanisms when breakdown voltage is
between 5V & 8V. Zener effect play a very important role only in the diodes with breakdown
voltages below about 5V.Zener breakdown voltages decreases with increased temperature where
as avalanche breakdown voltage increases with increased temperature. Zener diode operates in

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

STATICCHARACTERISTICS:-

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REGULATION CHARACTERISTICS:-

MODEL WAVEFORMS:-

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PROCEDURE: -

Forward bias characteristics

1. Connect the circuit diagram as shown in figure for Forward bias using zener diode
2. Switch on the RPS supply voltage Vs and vary in steps from 0V onwards (0.1V,
0.2V forward
Voltages (Vf) across the diode without exceeding the rated value (Vs=10V)
3. Tabulate the results in the tabular form.
4. Plot the graph between Vf & If.
Reverse bias characteristics

1. Connect the circuit diagram as shown in figure for Reverse bias using Zener diode.
2. Now vary RPS supply voltage Vs in steps from 0V onwards (1V, 2V
down the Reverse current (Ir) through the diode for different Reverse voltages (Vr)
across the diode without exceeding the rated value (Vr Max=15V)
3. Tabulate the results in the tabular form.
4. Plot the graph between Vr & Ir
TABULAR COLUMN: Forward Bias

SL. No APPLIED ZENER VOLTAGE ZENER

VOLTAGE(V)VOLTS (Vz)VOLTS CURRENT(Iz)mA
1 0
2 0.1
3 0.2
4 0.3
5 0.4
6 0.5
7 0.6
8 0.7
9 0.8
10 0.9
11 1
12 2
13 3
14 4
15 5
16 6
17 7
18 8

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19 9
20 10

TABULAR COLUMN: Reverse Bias

SL. No APPLIED ZENER VOLTAGE ZENER

VOLTAGE(V)VOLTS (Vz)VOLTS CURRENT(Iz)mA
1 0.1
2 0.2
3 0.3
4 0.4
5 0.5
6 0.6
7 0.7
8 0.8
9 0.9
10 1
11 2
12 3
13 4
14 5
15 6
16 7
17 8
18 9
19 10
20 11

PRECAUTIONS:
Avoid loose connections use proper voltmeter & ammeters

RESULT: -

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VIVA QUESTIONS:-

1. What is Zener diode?

2. Can Zener be used as a rectifier?
3. What are the voltage ratings of zener diode?
4. Give advantages of zener diode?
5. How zener diode behaves in foreard bias?
6. What type of temp? Coefficient does the zener diode have?
7. If the impurity concentration is increased, how the depletion width effected?
8. Does the dynamic impendence of a zener diode vary?
9. Explain briefly about avalanche and zener breakdowns?
10. Draw the zener equivalent circuit?
11. Differentiate between line regulation & load regulation?
12. In which region zener diode can be used as a regulator?
13. How the breakdown voltage of a particular diode can be controlled?
14. What type of temperature coefficient does the Avalanche breakdown has?
15. By what type of charge carriers the current flows in zener and avalanche breakdown
diodes?
16. What is static characterstics of diode?
17. Can Zener be used as a integrator?
18. What are the rating voltages of zener diode?
19. Give disadvantages of zener diode?
20. How zener diode behaves in forward bias?
21. What type of temp Coefficient does the zener diode have?
22. If the impurity concentration is decreased, how the depletion width effected?
23. Does the dynamic impendence of a diode vary?
24. Explain briefly about avalanche breakdown?
25. Draw the zener equal circuit?
26. Differentiate between line & load regulation?
27. In which region zener diode can be used as a integratorr?
28. How the cut in voltage of a particular diode can be controlled?
29. What type of temperature coefficient does the zener breakdown has?

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30. what type of charge carriers the voltage flows in zener and avalanche breakdown diodes?

Design Problems
1. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 5.6V.
2. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 6.2V.
3. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 5.6V with R = 2K.
4. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 5.6V with R = 2.5K.
5. Verify the operation of Zener acts as voltage regulator.
6. Verify the operation of Zener acts as voltage regulator with R = 2K and R L = 5K
7. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 5.6V with VRPS = 0 15V
8. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 5.6V with VRPS = 0 20V
9. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 6.2V with VD = 10 V and ID = 10 mA
10. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 6.2V with VD = 20 V and ID = 15 mA
11. Find the difference between P-N junction Diode and Zener diode in forward bias
condition
12. Find the difference between P-N junction Diode and Zener diode in Reverse bias
condition
13. Find the Break down voltage for given Zener Diode.
14. Plot the Reverse Bias characteristics for the Zener diode when I/P resistance is 10k
15. Find the effect of change in characteristics of Zener diode connected in Reverse Bias
condition when input resistance is changed from 10k to 20K
16. Find the effect of change in characteristics of Zener diode connected in Reverse Bias
condition when input resistance is changed from 20k to 10K
17. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 6.2V with VD = 12 V
18. Find output voltage of Zener Si diode with 6.2V with VD = 10V
19. Find output voltage of Zener Si diode with 6.2V with VD =5V
20. Find output voltage of Zener Si diode with 6.2V with VD =6.2V
21. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 6.5V.
22. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 2.6V.
23. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 2.6V with R = 1K.
24. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 2.6V with R = 2.0K.

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25. Verify the operation of Zener acts as voltage integrator.
26. Verify the operation of Zener acts as voltage regulator with R = 1K and RL = 2K
27. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 2.6V with VRPS = 0 10V
28. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 2.6V with VRPS = 0 10V
29. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 2.2V with VD = 20 V and ID = 5 mA
30. Reverse bias characteristics of Zener Si diode with 6.2V with VD = 10 V and ID = 10 mA

REALTIME APPLICATIONS:
1. Android based projects are being preferred these days. These projects involve use
of Bluetooth technology based device. These Bluetooth devices require about 3V voltage for
operation. In such cases, a zener diode is used to provide a 3V reference to the Bluetooth
device.
2. Another application involves use of Zener diode as a voltage regulator. Here the AC voltage
is rectified by the diode D1 and filtered by the capacitor. This filtered DC voltage is regulated
by the diode to provide a constant reference voltage of 15V. This regulated DC voltage is
used to drive the control circuit, used to control the switching of light, as in an automated
lighting control system.

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