Zener Diode

Quite similar to the general-purpose

diode with the exception
Zener Diode is designed specifically
to operate under reverse breakdown
condition.
Zener diode has a
very accurate and
predictable reverse
breakdown voltage
Zener diode iv characteristic
VZ, zener voltage is the
nominal reverse breakdown
voltage drop across the zener
diode (VZ=VKA)

IZK, zener knee current is

the minimum reverse
current that allows
operation on the near-
vertical portion of the
zener reverse breakdown
Icharacteristic
ZT, zener test current is
the current when
reverse voltage is at
the nominal reverse
breakdown voltage (VKA|
IIZ=IZT = V Z)
ZM, maximum allowable
Taken from: Denton J. Dailey, Electronic
current to flow through
Devices and Circuits: Discrete and the zener diode under
Integrated, Prentice Hall, 2001
reverse breakdown
Zener diode iv characteristic
Forward biased: similar to standard
diode
Reverse biased:
VR < VZ : zener diode is OFF
VR VZ : zener diode is in reverse
breakdown condition. Under this
condition, voltage drop across the
zener diode is nearly constant over a
wide range of current. (important
characteristic of zener diode)
Piecewise Linear Model of
Zener Diode
Forward biased

Reverse biased
 Maximum Zener Current
and Power
Power dissipation of a zener diode is
PZ I ZVZ

Maximum power dissipation rating is

PZM I ZM VZ
(when designing a circuit that contains a zener diode, P Z < PZM)
 Example
Determine the required value of R such that
IZ = 0.5 IZM. Also determine the power
dissipation of the zener diode and R based
on this resistance value.

Ans: R = 120 , PZ = 300

mW, PR = 420 mW
 CLIPPER
Application of Zener Diode
 Simple Clipper Circuit
Example 1
 Simple Clipper Circuit
Example 2
Refer to the circuit below, given vi(t) = 15 sin
10t V, VZ1 = 4.2 V and VZ2 = 6.8 V. Sketch
both the input and output waveforms.
 REGULATO
R
Application of Zener Diode
A voltage regulator is a circuit that to maintains
a constant (or nearly constant) output voltage
over a wide variety of load and input voltage
ranges.
Source (or voltage
Line) voltage with a change in source
v L
Source Regulation 100%
Regulation
Is a measure of the change in output
vS

Load voltage with a change in load current

Regulation vL ,no load vL , full load
Is a measure of the change in output
Line Regulation 100%
vL , full load
 Zener diode voltage
regulator circuit
The breakdown voltage is almost constant
over a wide range of reverse-bias currents
makes it suitable for a regulator circuit
Example on
the
application of
regulator
circuit
 Zener diode voltage regulator circuit (cont.)
RS must be
properly
selected as it is
used to limit the
amount of
current.

The output voltage, VL should remain

constant even when the supply voltage, VS
and/or the load, RL varies.
To achieve that, the zener diode must
remain in breakdown region and its power
dissipation must not exceed the rated
value.
 Zener diode voltage regulator circuit (cont.)

To keep the zener diode in breakdown

region
IZmin > IZK
The current in the diode is a minimum (IZmin)
when the load current is a maximum (ILmax) and
the source voltage is a minimum (VSmin)

To ensure that the power dissipation zener

diode is not exceeding its rated value
PZ < PZmax
The current in the diode is a maximum (IZmax)
when the load current is a minimum (ILmin) and
 Case 1: Varying input
voltage

For proper operation, A change in input

VO > VZ and IZ > IZK. voltage will cause a
From the circuit, we get change in zener current.
V L = VZ
IL = VZ/RL
IO = (VO VZ)/RS Remember that zener
diode is a nonlinear
IZ = IO IL
device.
 Example
The zener diode in the circuit of Figure 1 has a
reverse breakdown voltage of 6 V and VS can vary
from 8 V to 12 V. Assuming that the zener diode
remains in breakdown, find
i. The minimum and maximum zener diode
current
[Ans: IZMAX = 48 mA, IZMIN = 8 mA]

ii. The maximum power rating of the zener diode

[Ans: PZ = 288 mW]

Figure 1
 10. Diodes Rectifier Circuits
10.6 Rectifier Circuits
* Rectifiers convert ac power to dc power.
* Rectifiers form the basis for electronic power suppliers and
battery charging circuits.
10.6.1 Half-Wave Rectifier

16
 10. Diodes Rectifier Circuits
* Battery-Charging Circuit

* The current flows only in the direction that charges the battery.

17
 10. Diodes Rectifier Circuits
* Half-Wave Rectifier with Smoothing Capacitor

* To place a large capacitance across the output terminals:

18
 10. Diodes Rectifier Circuits
10.6.2 Full-Wave Rectifier Circuits

* Center-Tapped Full-Wave Rectifier two half-wave rectifier with

out-of-phase source voltages and a common ground.
* When upper source supplies + voltage to diode A,
the lower source supplies - voltage to diode B;
and vice versa.
* We can also smooth the output by using a large capacitance.
19
 10. Diodes Rectifier Circuits
10.6.2 Full-Wave Rectifier Circuits
* The Diode-Bridge Full-Wave Rectifier:

A,B C,D

20