Zener Diodes

Dasar Elektronika
DIII Teknologi Komputer Istas Pratomo Manalu
Fakultas Vokasi
Institut Teknologi Del
Idea
• Zener diode is optimized for its breakdown properties.
• Zener diodes are very important because they are the key to voltage
regulation
• Objective
• Describe the characteristic of zener diode and analyze its operation.
• Show how the zener diode is used and calculate various values related to its
operation
• Explain how a zener diode is used in voltage reference, regulation and limiting
applications.
Introduction
• Small-signal and rectifier diodes are never intentionally operated in
the breakdown region because this may damage them.
• A zener diode is different; it is a silicon diode that the manufacturer
has optimized for operation in the breakdown region.
• The zener diode is the backbone of voltage regulators, circuits that
hold the load voltage almost constant despite large changes in line
voltage and load resistance.
By varying the doping level of silicon diodes, a
manufacturer can produce zener the reverse current is less than IZM,
diodes with breakdown voltages from about 2 the diode is operating within its
to over 1000 V safe range

Operates in three If the current is greater than IZM,

regions: the diode will be destroyed
forward, leakage, and
breakdown
Zener Regulator
• A zener diode is sometimes called a voltage-regulator diode because
it maintains a constant output voltage even though the current
through it changes
Ideal Zener Diode
The Loaded Zener Regulator
Breakdown Operation

• How can you tell whether the zener diode is operating in the breakdown region?
• Thevenin Voltage
• This is the voltage that exists when the zener diode is disconnected from the circuit
• This Thevenin voltage has to be greater than the zener voltage; otherwise, breakdown cannot
occur.
The Loaded Zener Regulator
Series Current

• This is Ohm’s law applied to the current-limiting resistor.

• It is the same whether or not there is a load resistor
The Loaded Zener Regulator
Load Current
The Loaded Zener Regulator
Series Current

• With Kirchhoff’s current law:

zener current ??
ZENER LIMITING
Zener diode also can be used in ac applications to limit voltage swings to
desired level
1. To limit the +ve peak of a signal voltage to the selected zener voltage
• During –ve alternation, zener acts as FB diode & limits the –ve voltage to -0.7V
2. Zener diode is turn around
• The –ve peak is by FB zener action & +ve voltage is limited to +0.7V
3. Two back-to-back zeners limit both peaks to the zener voltage ±0.7V
• During the +ve alternation, D2 is functioning as the zener limiter – D1 is
functioning as a FB diode.
• During the –ve alternation-the roles are reversed
Than
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