L-7, 25.07.

2014
Exercises in Zener
Ex 2.8/93: The zener diode has I
Z
= 5 mA, r
Z
= 20 and I
ZK
= 0.2 mA. a) Find V
O
at no
load with V
+
at its nominal value. b)Find the change in V
O
resulting from a 1 V
change in V
+
. c) Find the change in V
O
when R
L
draws a current of I
L
= 1 mA. d)
Find the change in V
O
when R
L
= 2 k. e) Find V
O
when R
L
= 0.5 k. f) What is the
maximum value of R
L
for which the diode is still in its BD region?
Solution
a) V
O
at no load and V
+
at its nominal value i.e. 10 V. r
Z
= 20
V
Z
= 6.8 V and I
Z
= 5 mA; V
Z
= V
Z0
+ r
Z
I
Z
;
V
Z0
=? I or I
Z
= ? when there is no load. V
O
= ?
b) Change in V
O
due to a 1 V change. The change in voltage brings
about a change in V
O
. As V
Z0
does not change, the circuit is a simple
potential divider.
c) Load draws 1 mA. As V
Z0
is a constant, R cannot draw more
current from source, the I
Z
becomes less by 1 mA.
V
Z
= I
Z
r
Z
= ?
d) Change in V
O
at when R
L
= 2 k?
e) V
O
at when R
L
= 0.5 k? I
L
= 6.8/0.5 =13.6 mA, which the zener
cannot support. Hence it pulls out. Hence I
L
will be 10/(0.5+0.5)=?
f) The maximum value of R
L
for which the diode is still in its BD
region? Zener will function when I
Z
> I
Z K
and V
Z
> V
ZK
. Worst case
scenario V
+
= 9 V, current thru R = (9-6.7)0.5 =?, I
Z K
= 0.2 mA. Possible
current to the load = current thru R - I
Z K
= ?, R
L
= ?

The zener operates at its Q-
point defined by V
Z
and I
ZT
.
As the current I
Z
changes, V
Z

changes marginally and the
Q-point makes excursions
along the BD curve.
V
Z0
and V
ZK
are almost the
same.
When the current becomes
less than I
ZK
or the voltage
less than V
ZK
the zener pulls
out and it becomes a reverse
biased junction with virtually
no current,

Exercises in Zener
2.17/95: A zener diode whose nominal voltage is 10 V at 10 mA
has an incremental resistance of 50 . What voltage do you
expect if the diode current is halved? Doubled? What is the
value of V
Z0
in the zener model.[9.75 V; 10.5 V; 9.5 V]
D2.18/95: A zener diode has V
Z
= 5.6 V, I
Z
is five times I
ZK
= 1 mA.
The zener is used to design a shunt regulator fed from a 15 V
supply. The load current varies from 0 mA to 15 mA. Find
suitable value for R. What is the maximum power dissipated
in the zener? [470 , 112 mW]
2.19/95: A zener diode with V
Z
= 5.1 V, I
Z
= 50 mA and r
Z
= 7 is
used in a shunt regulator with a nominal supply voltage of 15
V thru a 200 resistor. What is its output voltage at no load?
Find the line and load regulation. [5.1 V, 33.8 mV/V, -7 mV/mA]