EXPERIMENTAL REPORT

BEHAVIOUR OF ZENER DIODES

IN FORWARD AND REVERSE BIAS
EE 152

05-07-2022
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
OBJECTIVES

OVERVIEW

➢ ZENER DIODES

• FORWARD BIAS

• REVERSE BIAS

CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS

➢ ZENER DIODES

• FORWARD BIAS

• REVERSE BIAS

PROCEDURE

EXPERIMENTAL DATA

GRAPHS

CONCLUSION

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 OBJECTIVES
i. Demonstrating the concept of forward bias in Zener diodes.

ii. Demonstrating the concept of reverse bias in Zener diodes.

REQUIRED MATERIALS
The tools and components bellow are required to carry out the experiment

• Zener diodes

• DC Voltage source

• Connecting wires

• Resister

• Ammeter

• Voltmeter

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 OVERVIEW

Zener diodes in forward bias

A Zener diode is said to be in forward bias when the positive terminal of the input supply

is connected to the positive terminal of the diode and the negative terminals of the supply

is connected to the negative terminal of the Zener diode. A Zener diode in forward bias

experiences the following;

i. The barrier potential is reduced and gets totally eliminated at a certain voltage.

ii. More majority carriers are allowed to pass across the junction. This brings about a

net flow of current – diffusion current.

iii. Zener diodes offer a very small resistance called the forward resistance to current

flow.

Zener diodes in reverse bias

Zener diode is reverse biased when the positive terminal of the input source is connected

to the negative terminal of the diode and the negative terminal of the source is connected

to the positive terminal of the diode.

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 CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS

Figure 1. Zener diode in forward bias Figure 2. Zener diode in reverse bias

PROCEDURE

FORWARD BIAS CONNECTION

1. Connect the circuit as shown in figure 1. Ensure that the various terminals are
rightly connected.
2. Regulate the voltage supply in steps of 0.1V.
3. Record each voltage value (V) with its corresponding current value (I) as
read from the ammeter.
4. Plot a graph of V against I.

REVERSE BIAS CONNECTION

1. Connect the circuit as shown in figure 2. Ensure that the various terminals are
rightly connected.
2. Regulate the voltage supply in steps of 0.2V.
3. Record each voltage value (V) with its corresponding current value (I) as read
from the ammeter.
4. Plot a graph of V against I.

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 EXPERIMENTAL DATA

Forward bias Reverse bias

V(volts) I(mA) V(volts) I(mA)

0.1 0.00 11.0 0.00

0.2 0.00 11.2 0.00

0.3 0.00 11.4 0.00

0.4 0.00 11.6 0.00

0.5 0.00 11.8 3.30

0.6 1.7 12.0 31.3

0.7 7.6 12.2 58.0

0.8 10.6 12.4 63.9

0.9 19.0 12.6 85.4

1.0 25.1 12.8 95.3

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 Graph of current against voltage for forward biased diode

DEDUCTIONS AND CONCLUSION

from the experiment, the following deductions can be made

• Diodes allow current flow in only one direction.

• The sharp rise in the curve from the graph indicates that, Zener diodes in forward bias

experience low resistance thus allowing more current to flow through the diode.

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 Graph of voltage against current in reverse bias

DEDUCTIONS AND CONCLUSION

The following conclusions and deductions can be made from the graph.

• In reverse bias, the barrier potential of the diode is increased and fewer majority carriers

have sufficient energy to cross the junction.

• Zener diodes experience high resistance.

• For low voltages, Zener diodes do not conduct at all. The voltage is almost constant

regardless of the current carried.

• Current begins to flow through the diode when once the breakdown voltage is reached.

• Very large current flows through the diode once the voltage is above the breakdown

voltage

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 GROUP MEMBERS
NAME INDEX NUMBER
Livingstone Eli Ayivor 7080721
Baodu Ibrahim Asante 7081021
Vicentia Frimpong 7082221
Tamakloe Angelbert Edem 7084621

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