Technological Institute of the Philippines

#938 Aurora Boulevard, Cubao,

Quezon City

College of Engineering and Architecture Electronics Engineering Department

Title: ZENER DIODE VOLTAGE REGULATION

Experiment # 4

Submitted by
ECE003-Group 7
Ibay Jeruel.
Inopia, Jose Ma. Luis V.
Jarito, Rosemarie
Jopia, Gabriel Abram

Submitted to:
Engr. Mark Nelson E. Pangilinan

Date:
December 21, 2021
Objective(s):
The activity aims to introduce the capability of zener diodes in regulating varying voltage
inputs.
 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):

The students shall be able to:
1) Analyze the forward-bias and reverse-bias characteristics of a Zener diode
2) Examine the significance of a regulator circuit and its employment
3) Inspect the capability of Zener diode and Transistor in regulating voltages.
 

Discussion:
A zener diode is a silicon pn junction device that is designed for operation in the
reversebreakdown
region. The breakdown voltage of a zener diode is set by carefully controlling the doping
level
during manufacture. If a zener diode is forward-biased, it operates the same as a
rectifier diode. Zener diodes are designed to operate in reverse breakdown. Two types
of reverse breakdown in a zener diode are avalanche and zener.

Two basic categories of voltage regulation are line regulation and load regulation. The
purpose of
line regulation is to maintain a nearly constant output voltage when the input voltage
varies. The purpose of load regulation is to maintain a nearly constant output voltage
when the load varies. Voltage Regulators are available in a variety of voltages, including
positive and negative outputs, and can be designed for variable outputs with a minimum
of external components. Typically, voltage regulators can furnish a constant output of
one or more amps of current with high ripple rejection.

Equipment:
Multism or any circuit design app in your phone.
 
Procedure:
Activity 1: Zener Diode Signal Clipping

1. Click Simulator on your desktop or phone.

2. Connect the circuit as represented in the block diagram.
3. Ensure the function generator amplitude control is set fully counter clockwise
(minimum).
4. Open the oscilloscope. Channel Y1 displays the signal from the function
generator supplied to the clipping circuit. Channel Y2 shows the clipped
output signal.
5. Adjust the function generator amplitude control so that the signal is 16v pk-pk.
6. Note for the amplitude of the clipping level of the zener diode for the positive
and the negative half cycle.
7. Screenshot the output waveforms and state their amplitudes.

 
Activity 2 : The Zener Diode Voltage Regulator

1. Connect the circuit as represented in the schematic circuit.

2. Ensure the Positive Variable Power Supply and Negative Variable Power
Supply are set fully
counter clockwise (minimum). Note: The two variable power supplies have
been configured so that together they provide a supply of up to 24v. Each
providing 12V output. This supply is used to provide the supply (VS) to the
circuit)
3. Open the DMM. This displays the voltage VS, but if amps is selected it
displays the current through the load (IL).
4. Open the MCM. Channel 1 (Top) displays the current passing through the
Zener diode (Id),
channel 2 displays the voltage across the diode.
5. Slowly increase Vs by adjusting the NVPS until the diode just begins to
conduct current. Record Vs and IL = 0 in the first row of the table.
6. Adjust the NVPS until Vs equals 10V, now adjust the PVPS control until Vs
equals 12V, the diode
 current will increase above 5mA. Then adjust RL until the diode current just
returns to
approximately 5mA. Again record Vs and IL
7. Repeat this for Vs = 14, 16, 18 and 20 V recording the results in a table as
shown below.

 
Discussion of Results:

The diode within channel a has a higher positive peak voltage and a lower negative
peak voltage in its half cycle, but the diode inside channel b has a lower maximum and
lowest peak voltage.
On the oscilloscope of the voltage regulator circuit, we noticed various diode
clipper/limiter waveforms, where the input waveform and clips cut off either its top or
bottom half. The half bottom of our forward-biased waveform is flattened, but the half
bottom of our reverse-biased waveform is not.
opposite.
In this simulation, I noticed that the voltage shifts from negative to positive and vice
versa for both oscilloscope channels. It has a voltage range of -3V to +3V, resulting in a
consistent DC output voltage across the load.
Conclusion:
The constant voltage of a Zener diode is determined by its model and the
breakdown voltage that permits it to operate in reverse bias mode. If the voltage does
not reach the desired level, the diode will either block the passage or operate normally.

To summarize, the circuit we created shows an ideal oscillation or waveform, in

which our forward biased conducts like a closed switch and our reverse conducts like an
open switch, permitting the positive half cycle of the input voltage while restricting the
negative half cycle.

As a result, I infer that the Zener diode is always operated in reverse bias. A simple
voltage regulator circuit utilizing a Zener diode may be developed to maintain a
consistent DC output voltage across the load even when the input voltage or load
current varies. Finally, by feeding a current from a voltage source through the diode
through a current limiting resistor, the Zener diode will conduct enough current to
maintain a voltage.
Assessment Task:
1. As performed, state the differences of a shunt and series voltage regulator
circuit.
 - Shunt voltage regulators have better voltage management even at large
load currents than series voltage regulators do. The output DC voltage of a
shunt voltage regulator is constant, but the output DC voltage of a series
voltage regulator is variable. The load is linked in shunt to the shunt voltage
regulator. The load is linked in series with the series voltage regulator. For
low load current, shunt voltage regulators are highly efficient. In series
voltage regulators, it has a high efficiency for greater load currents. The
voltage is not constant with a shunt voltage regulator. Voltage control is
improved using a series voltage regulator.

2. What is the important role of a regulator in a circuit? Why is it needed?

- The importance of the voltage regulator in a circuit is that it keep the voltage
in the circuit relatively close to a desired voltage range that can be tolerated
by the electrical equipment using that voltage. Voltage regulator is used to
prevent damaging one of the components in the circuit due to raw current
produced by power supply.

3. Define the main difference between a rectifier diode and a Zener diode? What
is their difference in circuit applications?

- The main difference between a rectifier diode and a zener diode is that the
rectifier diode is a two-lead semiconductor that allows current to pass in one
direction only while Zener diode is a special type of diode designed to reliably
allow current to flow backwards when a certain set reverse voltage (Zener
voltage) is reached.

4. What is the effect of applying negative voltage onto the Zener diode?

- If we apply negative voltage to a zener diode, the Zener diode will be

forward-biased. Unlike an ordinary diode, Zener diode will undergo "reverse
breakdown" and begin to conduct a significant amount of current, but
backwards from the normal direction of diode current flow.