This document provides information about Zener diodes. It begins by listing the group members and then describes the key differences between regular diodes and Zener diodes. Zener diodes allow current to flow in both directions, unlike regular diodes, and can regulate voltage. The document discusses Clarence Zener, the physicist who discovered the property that Zener diodes exploit. It provides details on Zener diode symbols, how they operate under forward and reverse bias, their voltage regulation applications, and characteristics like breakdown voltage.

1. Zener Diode

2. Group member :
 NAME : Shishir Karmoker
ID : 2016-2-55-008
 Name: Sadil Shoyeb Khan
ID : 2016-2-55-006

3. Diode and Zener Diode Difference
 Diode can conduct current only in one direction, where as ,zener diode allows
the conduction in both directions.
 A normal diode will be permanently damaged for a large reverse current, but
a Zener diode will not. ...
 Diodes are normally used for rectification, whereas zener diodes are used for
voltage regulation.

4. History Of Zener Diode
Clarence Melvin Zener was the American physicist who first described the
property concerning the breakdown of electrical insulators. These findings
were later exploited by Bell Labs in the development of the Zener diode,
which was duly named after him

5. Zener Diode
A Zener diode is a type of diode that permits current not only in the
forward direction like a normal diode, but also in the reverse direction if
the voltage is larger than the breakdown voltage.
 The arrowhead on a Zener diode symbol points in the direction of
forward current when the diode is forward biased.
 The Zener diode is normally operated in reverse breakdown and the
current direction is then from anode to cathode

6. Zener Diode Circuit
 The most basic Zener diode circuit consist of a single Zener diode
and a Resister.
 The Zener diode provides the reference voltage, but a series resistor
must be in place to limit the current into the diode otherwise a large
amount of current would flow through it and it could be destroyed.

8. Zener Diode – Forward bias
 When a Zener diode is forward biased, it operates as a normal diode.
 In forward biased P side connected to +ve and N side connected to –
ve terminal of battery. In this case the electrons and holes are swept
across the junction an large current flow through it.

9. Zener Diode – Reverse biased
 In case of reverse biased current practically zero and at certain
voltage which called Zener voltage the current increases sharply.
 Each Zener diode has breakdown rating which specifies the max
voltage that can be dropped across it.

10. Zener Diode - Characteristics
 In reverse direction however there is a very small leakage current between
0V an the Zener voltage –i.e. tiny amount of current is able to flow
 Then, when the voltage reaches the breakdown voltage (VZ), suddenly
current flow through it.

11. Zener breakdown
The Zener effect is a type of electrical breakdown in a reverse biased p-n diode
in which the electric field enables tunneling of electrons from the valence to
the conduction band of a semiconductor, leading to a large number of free
minority carriers, which suddenly increase the reverse current.

12. The most common application of Zener Diode
 Zener Regulator
 Zener Comparator
 Zener Limiters
 Zener in Power Supplies

13. Thank You