BASIC ELECTRONICS LAB (PHY 212L)

DATE: EXPERIMENT NO:

Zener Diode Circuit Working and Applications

Objective: 

1.) To study forward and reverse bias characteristics of a zener diode and to
determine the threshold and zener break-down voltage.

2.) To study the Application of Zener diode as voltage regulator.

Components:

S.No. Name Quantity

1 Zener diode 1(One) No.
2 Resistor (1K ) 1(One) No.
3 Bread board 1(One) No.

Equipment:

S.No Name Quantity

.
1 Dual DC Regulated Power supply (0-15V) 1(One) No.
2 Digital Ammeters  ( 0 - 200 mA, 0-200 µA) 1(One) No. Each
3 Digital Voltmeter (0 - 20V) 1(One) No.
4 Connecting wires 5-10

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Theory:

However, the Zener Diode or “Breakdown Diode”, as they are sometimes

referred too, are basically the same as the standard p-n junction diode but they
are specially designed to have a low and specified Reverse Breakdown
Voltage which takes advantage of any reverse voltage applied to it.
The Zener diode behaves just like a normal general-purpose diode consisting of
a silicon p-n junction and when biased in the forward direction, that is Anode
positive with respect to its Cathode, it behaves just like a normal diode.
However, unlike a conventional diode that blocks any flow of current through
itself when reverse biased, that is the Cathode becomes more positive than the
Anode, as soon as the reverse voltage reaches a pre-determined value, the zener
diode begins to conduct in the reverse direction.
This is because when the reverse voltage applied across the zener diode exceeds
the rated voltage of the device a process called Avalanche Breakdown occurs in
the semiconductor depletion layer and a current start to flow through the diode
to limit this increase in voltage.
The current now flowing through the zener diode increases dramatically to the
maximum circuit value (which is usually limited by a series resistor) and once
achieved, this reverse saturation current remains fairly constant over a wide range
of reverse voltages. The voltage point at which the voltage across the zener
diode becomes stable is called the “zener voltage”, (V Z ) and for zener diodes this
voltage can range from less than one volt to a few hundred volts.
The point at which the zener voltage triggers the current to flow through the
diode can be very accurately controlled (to less than 1% tolerance) in the doping
stage of the diodes semiconductor construction giving the diode a specific zener
breakdown voltage, (V Z ) for example, 4.3V or 7.5V. This zener breakdown voltage
on the I-V curve is almost a vertical straight line.

pg. 2 Department of physics SRM University Andra Pradesh.

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Fig.1: Symbol of
Zener diode
Zener reverse breakdown is due to electron quantum tunnelling caused by a
high-strength electric field. However, many diodes described as "Zener" diodes
rely instead on avalanche breakdown. Both breakdown types are used in Zener
diodes with the Zener effect predominating at lower voltages and avalanche
breakdown at higher voltages.

Uses:
Zener diodes are widely used in electronic equipment of all kinds and are
one of the basic building blocks of electronic circuits. They are used to
generate low-power stabilized supply rails from a higher voltage and to
provide reference voltages for circuits, especially stabilized power supplies.
They are also used to protect circuit from overvoltage, especially in
electrostatic discharge (ESD).

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Fig.2:
Zener Diode behaviour

Figure 2 shows the current versus voltage curve for a Zener diode. Observe the
nearly constant voltage in the breakdown region.

The forward bias region of a Zener diode is identical to that of a regular diode.
The typical forward voltage at room temperature with a current of around 1 mA
is around 0.6 volts (silicon diodes). In the reverse bias condition, the Zener diode
is an open circuit and only a small leakage current is flowing as shown on the
exaggerated plot. As the breakdown voltage is approached the electron and
holes will begin to avalanche which increases the reverse current.

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The initial transition from leakage to breakdown is soft but then the current
rapidly increases as shown on the figure-2. The voltage across the Zener diode in
the breakdown region is very nearly constant with only a small increase in voltage
with increasing current. At some high current level, the power dissipation of the
diode becomes excessive and the diode gets destroyed. So, there is a minimum
Zener current, I Z (min ) that places the operating point in the desired breakdown
voltage. Also, there is a maximum Zener current I Z (max ), at which the power
dissipation drives the junction temperature to the maximum current allowed by
the manufacture. Beyond I Z (max )current, the diode gets damaged.

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Circuit Diagram:

Fig. (3) - Forward Bias Condition:

Fig. (4) – Reverse Bias Condition:

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Fig. (5) – zener diode as voltage regulator

Procedure:

Forward Bias Condition:

1. Connect the circuit as shown in figure (3) using Zener diode.

2. Initially vary voltage V s in steps of 0.1 V. Once the current starts increasing
vary V s  from 1V to 15V in steps of 1V and note down the corresponding
readings V DFand  I DF .
3. Tabulate different forward currents obtained for different forward voltages.

Reverse Bias Condition:

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1. Connect the circuit as shown in figure (4) using Zener diode.

2. Vary  V s gradually in steps of 1V from 0V to 15V and note down the
corresponding readings V DRand  I DR.
3. Tabulate different reverse currents obtained for different reverse voltages.

Zener diode as voltage regulator:

1. Connect the circuit as shown in figure (5) using Zener diode.

2. Vary   R L gradually in steps of 220Ω  to 1MΩ and note down the
corresponding readings of o/p voltages V Z .
3. Tabulate o/p voltages obtained for different load resistance values. (we will
get constant o/p voltages for different load resistors.)

Fig (6): Forward bias of zener diode(Current,

I DF =0.1 mA=100 μA , Voltage acroos diode V DF =0.69 V ¿

pg. 8 Department of physics SRM University Andra Pradesh.

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Fig. (7): Reverse bias of zener diode(Current, I DR =0.7 mA , Voltage acroos diode V DR=4.36 V ¿

pg. 9 Department of physics SRM University Andra Pradesh.

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Observations:

Forward Bias Condition: Table (1)

Forward current Forward Voltage

Voltage across Regulated
through the zener across the zener
power supplyV s (V )
diode I DF (mA) diode V DF (V )
0 0 0
0.1 0 0.1
0.2 0 0.202
0.3 0 0.299
0.4 0 0.398
0.5 0 0.497
0.6 0 0.597
0.7 0 0.67
0.77 0.1 0.69
0.8 0.2 0.70
0.9 0.3 0.72
1 0.4 0.74
2 1.2 0.755
3 2.2 0.772
4 3.2 0.783
5 4.2 0.792
6 5.2 0.799
7 6.3 0.805
8 7.3 0.810
9 8.3 0.814
10 9.3 0.819
11 10.3 0.823
12 11.3 0.826
13 12.3 0.830
14 13.4 0.833
15 14.4 0.837
pg. 10 Department of physics SRM University Andra Pradesh.
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Reverse Bias Condition: Table (2)

Voltage across the Reverse Current Reverse Voltage

Regulated power supply through the zener across the zener
V s (V ) diode I DR ( mA) diodeV DR (V )
0 0 0
1 0.0008 0.985
2 0.0021 1.981
3 0.0154 2.99
4 0.120 3.78
5 0.7 4.36
6 1.5 4.54
7 2.4 4.63
8 3.4 4.68
9 4.4 4.71
10 5.4 4.74
11 6.4 4.75
12 7.4 4.77
13 8.4 4.78
14 9.5 4.79
15 10.4 4.80

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Voltage regulator: Table (3)

Load Resistance R L (KΩ) Voltage across zener diode, V Z (V)

0.220 2.88
0.470 4.6
2.2 5.15
4.7 5.00
8.2 5.09
10 5.09
22 5.00
47 5.01
100 5.02
220 5.04
1MΩ 5.17

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Graph

1. Now mark +ve X-axis as V DF ,+ve Y-axis as I DF  ,for forward bias condition.(Fig-
8)

I-V Characteristics of zener diode.Fig.-(8)

20

15
Current through Zener diode (mA)

10

0
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2

-5

-10

-15

Voltage across the Zener diode (V)

2. And mark -ve X-axis as V DR, -ve Y-axis as I DRfor reverse bias condition.

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6 VOLTAGE REGULATOR Fig-(9)

5
Voltage across Zener Diode, VZ (V)

0
0.01 1 100 10000

Load resistance ,RL (KΩ)

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A 5V stabilised power supply is produced from a 15V DC power supply input

source. The maximum power rating  PZ  of the zener diode is 2W. Using the zener
regulator circuit calculate:
a). The maximum current flowing through the zener diode.
power rating of zener diode( PZ ) 2W
Maximum current , I Z = = =400 mA
voltage(V Z ) 5V

b). The minimum value of the series resistor,  R S

V S −V Z 15−5
R S= = =25 Ω
IZ 400

c). The load current  I L if a load resistor of 1kΩ is connected across the zener diode.
VZ 5V
I L= = =5 mA
R L 1000 Ω

d) The Zener current  I Z  if a load resistor of 1kΩ 

I Z =I −I L =400 mA−5 mA =395 mA

e). The zener current  I Z at full load ( R L=infinite)

I Z =I −I L =400 mA−0=400 mA

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Precautions:

1. While doing the experiment do not exceed the bias voltage above 15V. This
may lead to damaging of the diode.
2. Connect voltmeter and ammeter in correct polarities as shown in the circuit
diagram. Do not switch ON the power supply unless you have checked the
circuit connections as per the circuit diagram.

Result:

Current-Voltage Characteristics of zener Diode are studied.

Threshold voltage of zener diode is 0.77V

Zener Breakdown voltage, V Z =5V

Application of zener diode as voltage regulator is studied.

Reference book:  Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky(Electronics devices

and circuit theory)

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pg. 17 Department of physics SRM University Andra Pradesh.