.

Experiment name: Zener diode characteristics *

-:Experiment objectives *
.To identify the zener diode .1
.To know how we can test the zener .2
To know the characteristic of zener diode in forward situation and reverse .3
.situation and draw it
To learn the applications of the zener diode (line regulation & load .4
.regulation)

-:Equipment’s used in the experiment *

Power supply, wires, breadboard, resistor (330Ώ),resistor (1KΏ), 2DMM, Zener
.diode, variable resistor

-:Procedure *
.We obtained the zener diode characteristic using DMM .1
.We connected the measuring circuit for forward bias zener .2

Circuit 1
Vary the power supply(VD) to give the values of diode forward current I z .3
. according to table 1 , then measure the diode voltage Vz
Reduce the power supply voltage to zero and reverse the polarity of the .4
.diode connection to obtain the reverse characteristic

Circuit 2

Connect circuit 3 and adjust the input voltage at 12 V then measure the .5
. output voltage across RL and record it as in table 2
. Vary the input voltage Vin according to table 2 .6

Circuit 3

Readjust Vin = 12 V and connect the load as shown in circuit 4, vary the load .7
resistance according to table 3, measure the output voltage Vo and calculate
.variation in output voltage
 Circuit 4

.Results & tables*

.Forward Zener characteristic -1

Iz (mA) 0.05 0.1 0.5 1.0 5.0 10 50

Vz (V) 0.62 0.653 0.7 0.723 0.774 0.795 0.85

Table 1

.Reverse Zener characteristic -2

-Iz (mA) 0.001 0.01 0.1 1.0 10 20 30

- Vz (V) 4.67 5.92 6.25 6.28 6.36 6.43 6.51

Table 2
.Zener diode applications -3

Line Regulation Load Regulation

RL = 1 KΏ Vin = 12 V
Vin (V) Vo (V)∆ Vo (V) RL= RD+R2 Vo (V)∆ Vo (V)
6 1.9- 4.45 200 1.65- 4.71
8 0.47-5.88 300 0.47- 5.89
12 0 6.35 500Ώ 0.04- 6.32
14 0.056.40 1kΏ 0 6.36
16 0.09 6.44 2KΏ 0.02 6.38
20 0.186.53 5KΏ 0.04 6.40

Table 3

.Calculations & Discussion of results

For forward bias the actual value of the voltage = 0.7 as the value of normal
.diode voltage
The experimental value= (0.62+0.653+0.7+0.723+0.774+0.795+0.85)/7= 0.73
Relative error(RE%)=|(( 0.7-0.73.)/0.7)|*100% =4.28%
-:Conclusion *

The zener works as a normal diode in case of forward bias .1

with voltage = 0.7 V ,but in reverse case it takes a particular
.value of voltage which is written on it
In reverse bias case the voltage should be ≥ the voltage of the .2
.zener
.To make the current pass it should be between I zmin , Izmax .3
The most important application for zener diode is to regulate .4
the voltage using line regulation or load regulation but the zener
.alone does not guarantee the stability that we need

.Nomenclature*
.xmm1: Ammeter
.xmm2: Voltmeter
.VD: Power supply
.R1: resistor
.V:volt
.Ώ:ohm
.mA: mille Ampere
.Iz : Zener current
.Vz: Zener voltage
.D1: Zener diode
.RL: variable resistor