Module 2

Junction Diodes
Zener Diode
 The Zener Diode
• Zener diodes are specially designed to operate in the breakdown
region without failure

• Zener diodes are sometimes referred to as breakdown diodes

• Zener diodes are the backbone of voltage regulators and circuits that
keep the load voltage almost constant despite large changes in line
voltage and load resistance
VI characteristics of Zener diode
Forward Bias Region
Leakage Region
Breakdown Region

• If you continue increasing the

reverse voltage, you will
eventually reach the so-called
Zener voltage VZ of the diode

• As long as the reverse

current is less than IZ(Max), the
diode operates within its safe
range

• If the current exceeds IZ(Max),

the diode will be destroyed
 Zener Voltage Regulator
• The Zener diode maintains a constant output voltage in the breakdown
region, even though the current through it varies
• A Zener diode is sometimes called a Voltage-regulator diode

• The voltage source VS is connected across the diode

• To keep the diode in its breakdown condition, the source voltage VS
must be greater than the Zener breakdown voltage VZ
• The stabilized output voltage Vout is taken from across the Zener diode
 Breakdown Operation
• Thevenin voltage is the voltage that exists when the Zener diode is
disconnected from the circuit

• Because of the voltage divider, we can write:

• When this voltage exceeds the Zener voltage, breakdown occurs

 Series Current
• The voltage across the series resistor equals the difference between
the source voltage and the Zener voltage

• According to the Ohm’s law, the current through the series resistor is:

• The series current remains the same whether the load resistor is
connected or not
 Load Voltage and Load Current

• As the load resistor is in parallel with the Zener diode, the load voltage is
the same as the Zener voltage
 Zener Current

• The total current is equal to the sum of Zener and load currents, which is
the same as the current through the series resistor
 Preregulator
• The basic idea behind Preregulator is to provide a well-regulated input to
the Zener regulator so that the final output is extremely well regulated

• A preregulator (the first Zener diode) driving a Zener regulator (the

second Zener diode)
 Waveshaping

• Two Zener diodes are connected back-to-back to generate a square

wave and the circuit is also jokingly called “The poor man’s square wave
generator“
• On the positive half-cycle, the upper diode conducts and the lower diode
breaks down and the output is clipped
• On the negative half-cycle, the lower diode conducts and the upper
diode breaks down and the output is approximately a square wave
 Numerical problem
• For the circuit given below, find : (i) the output voltage (ii) the voltage
drop across series resistance (iii) the current through zener diode.
 Numerical problem

• Since voltage across zener diode is greater than VZ (= 50 V), the zener
is in the “on” state. Therefore, it can be represented by a battery of 50 V
as shown below
Numerical problem
 Numerical problem
• For the circuit shown in Fig below, find the maximum and minimum
values of zener diode current.
Numerical problem
Numerical problem
 Numerical problem
• The circuit uses two zener diodes, each rated at 15 V, 200 mA. If the
circuit is connected to a 45-volt unregulated supply, determine :(i) The
regulated output voltage (ii) The value of series resistance R.
Numerical problem