3.

1 ZENER DIODES
 VOLTAGE REGULATION
 A voltage regulator circuit automatically
maintains the output voltage of a power
supply constant, regardless of
- a change in the load
- a change in the source voltage
 ZENER DIODES
 The simplest of all voltage regulators
is the zener diode voltage regulator.
 A zener diode is a special diode that
is optimized for operation in the
breakdown region.
 ZENER DIODE CIRCUIT
 The zener diode is typically connected
reverse biased, in parallel with the load.
 Resistor Rs limits current to zener.
ZENER DIODE CHARACTERISTICS

 In the forward
region, the zener
diode acts like a
regular silicon
diode, with a 0.7
volt drop when it
conducts.
ZENER DIODE CHARACTERISTICS
 In the reverse bias
region, a reverse
leakage current
flows until the
breakdown voltage is
reached.
 At this point, the
reverse current,
called zener current
Iz, increases sharply.
ZENER DIODE CHARACTERISTICS
 Voltage after
breakdown is also
called zener
voltage Vz.
 Vz remains nearly
a constant, even
though current Iz
varies
considerably.
ZENER DIODE RATINGS
 A zener spec sheet typically provides
- the maximum power rating Pz
- the nominal zener voltage Vz at test
current IzT
- the maximum DC zener current IzM

Example:
- 1N752 has a power rating of 500mW, a
nominal zener voltage of 5.6V at a test
current of 20 mA, a maximum zener
current of 80 mA.
ZENER DIODE CIRCUIT EXAMPLE
 In a zener diode voltage regulator circuit,
VDC(IN) = 20V, Vz = 9V, Rs = 82, RL = 100

Q: Calculate IL.
A: IL = VL/RL = VZ/RL = 9V/100  = 90 mA

82

20V 100
9V
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

Q: Calculate IT.
A: IT = VRs/Rs = [VDC(IN) - Vz]/Rs
= [20 - 9]/82 
= 134 mA

82

20V 9V 100
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

Q: Calculate Iz
A: Iz = IT - IL
= 134mA - 90mA
= 44mA

82

20V 9V 100
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

Q: If zener Pz = 500mW, is Iz safe ?

A: IzM = Pz / Vz
= 500 mW / 9V
= 55 mA
Since circuit Iz
= 44 mA (< 55mA),
zener is safe
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

Q: Suppose load changes from 100  to 200 .

Find new IL, Iz, IT. Is Iz safe ?
A: IL = VL/RL = VZ/RL = 9V/200  = 45 mA

20V 9V 200
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

A: IT = VRs/Rs = [VDC(IN) - Vz]/Rs

= [20 - 9]/82  = 134 mA (no change)
Iz = IT - IL = 134mA - 45mA = 89mA
Since IzM = 55mA, zener is not safe.

20V 9V 200
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

Q: Suppose load changes from 100  to 80 .

Find new IL, Iz, IT. Is Iz safe ?
A: IL = VL/RL = VZ/RL = 9V/80  = 112.5 mA

20V 9V 80
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

A: IT = VRs/Rs = [VDC(IN) - Vz]/Rs

= [20 - 9]/82  = 134 mA (no change)
Iz = IT - IL = 134mA - 112.5mA = 21.5 mA
Since IzM = 55 mA, zener is safe.

20V 9V 80
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

Q: Suppose zener regulator circuit has no load

connected, is Iz safe ?
A: IT = VRs/Rs = [VDC(IN) - Vz]/Rs
= [20 - 9]/82  = 134 mA (no change)
Iz = IT = 134 mA this is very Unsafe

20V 9V
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

Q: In the previous example, suppose VDC(IN)

changes from 20V to 30V. Is Iz safe ?
A: IL = 9V/100  = 90 mA
IT = [30-9]/82  = 256 mA
Iz = IT - IL = 256 mA - 90 mA = 166 mA
Very Unsafe

82

30V 9V 100
ZENER DIODE EXAMPLE (CONT’D)

Q: Suppose VDC(IN) changes from 20V to 18V.

Is Iz safe ?
A: IL = 9V/100  = 90 mA
IT = [18-9]/82  = 110 mA
Iz = IT - IL = 110 mA - 90 mA = 20 mA
Safe

82

18V 9V 100