This Presentation was made for a 2nd year 1st term course.

1. Presentation
on
Zener Diode
Submitted by:
Abidur Rahman
1509056
Electronics and Communication Engineering
Pritom Mojumder
1509053
KHULNA UNIVERSITY of ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

2. A diode is a two-terminal electronic component that
conducts primarily in one direction.
It blocks current in the opposite direction.
This unidirectional behavior is called rectification
Introduction
1

3. A Zener diode is a particular type of diode that
allows current to flow not only from its anode to
its cathode, but also in the reverse direction,
when the so-called "Zener voltage" is reached.
Clarence Melvin Zener the American physicist
invented Zener diode.
Introduction
2

4. Figure: Zener diode Symbol
Introduction
Figure: Zener diode Package
3

5. pn Junction
Vo
n type
carrierconcentration
p type
x
Depletion Layer
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +--
--
--
--
--
--
--
E field
E field force on electronsE field force on holes
How can we make a diode?
4

6. Construction of Zener Diode
The depletion region formed in the diode is very thin, less than 1 µm.
Now, even for a small reverse bias voltage of about 5 V, allowing
electrons to tunnel from the valence band of the p-type material to
the conduction band of the n-type material.
The Zener diode's operation depends on the heavy doping of its p-n junction.
(<1 µm)
5

7. Important Features
• Zener diodes have a highly doped p-n junction. Normal
diodes will also break down with a reverse voltage but
the voltage and sharpness of the knee are not as well
defined as for a Zener diode.
• Zener diode can be operated in breakdown region.
• In the forward bias direction, the zener diode behaves
like an ordinary silicon diode.
6

8. Graphical Representation
0.7v
V
IF
Reverse
Bias
Forward
Bias
VBR
7

9. Application
» In a DC circuit, Zener diode can be used as a
voltage regulator to regulate the voltage
across small circuits.
8
The function of the regulator is to
provide constant output voltage.
Zener diode will continue to
regulate the voltage until the
diodes current falls below the
minimum Iz value in the reverse
breakdown region.

10. Application
» Zener diode can be used to make a Waveform
Clipper. Two Zener diodes facing each other in
series will act to clip both halves of an input signal.
9
Waveform clippers can be used to not only reshape a signal, but also to
prevent voltage spikes from affecting circuits that are connected to the
power supply.

11. Application
» A Zener diode can be applied to a circuit with a resistor to
act as a voltage shifter. This circuit lowers the output
voltage by a quantity that is equal to the Zener diode's
breakdown voltage.
10

12. Application
» Zener diodes are also used in surge protectors
to limit transient voltage spikes.
11

13. Application
» Another application of the Zener diode is the
use of noise caused by its avalanche
breakdown in a random number generator.
Figure: Avalanche noise curve
12

14. • Zener diodes are designed to operate at voltages
greater than the breakdown voltage (peak reverse
voltage).
• Zener diodes are manufactured with a specific
breakdown (Zener) voltage.
• Zener diodes are packaged the same as P–N junction
diodes.
• Zener diodes are used to stabilize or regulate voltage.
13

15. Thank You For Your Attention