Session 2

Session Name: Zener Diodes Author Name: A.S.Anupama Department: Electronics and Instrumentation Subject/Course: Electronic Devices

Session Objectives
At the end of this session, the learner will be able to: Explain the working principle of Zener diode. Explain the concept of Avalanche and Zener Breakdown. List the characteristics of Zener diode. List the applications of Zener Diode.

Teaching Learning Material

White Board and chalk Chart Presentation

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Session Plan
Time (in min) Content Learning Aid and Methodology Chart presentation by learner with analogy Faculty Approach Typical Student Activity Skill and Competency Developed Understanding Logical Interpersonal

10

Recap : Formation of P-N junction

Facilitates Monitors

Participates Discusses

05

Zener Diodes Introduction

Board Presentation

Introduces Explains

Listens

Understanding Kinesthetic Intrapersonal Interpersonal Analysis Kinesthetic Intrapersonal Interpersonal

10

Breakdown techniques of Zener diode

Demonstration

Facilitates

Participates

10

Zener diode Characteristics

Board Presentation

Explains

Listens

Understanding Intrapersonal

10

Applications of Zener diode

Brain Storming

Facilitates Monitors

Discusses Participates Answers

Understanding Application Interpersonal Intrapersonal Linguistic

05

Conclusion and Summary

Innovative Conclusion

Lists Facilitates

Participates Identifies

Understanding Intrapersonal Interpersonal

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Session Inputs
Recap: Formation of P-N Junction
Before we start the session on Zener diode, it would be better to refresh the learners knowledge on formation of P-N junction by a chart presentation with a different analogy.

Suggested Activity: Chart Presentation One of the learners may be identified at the end of the previous session and he/she may be asked to prepare a chart on the formation of PN junction. He /she may be asked to present it to make the learners to recollect the topics taught on the previous day and for better understanding.

At the end of this activity, the faculty may summarize the important points discussed in the formation of P-N junction for clear understanding.

The electrons from N-type and holes from P type diffuse with each other for a short time. After a few recombinations of holes and electrons, a restraining force is created by the formation of depletion region. As a result of this, further diffusion of holes and electrons is stopped.

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Zener Diodes - Introduction

After summarizing the formation of P-N junction, it would be appropriate to give an introduction to Zener diode and its working principle.

The above diagram is the symbol of Zener diode.

A Zener Diode is a special kind of diode which permits current to flow in the forward direction as normal, but will also allow it to flow in the reverse direction when the voltage is above a certain value - the breakdown voltage known as the Zener voltage.

Breakdown techniques of Zener Diode

Having given an introduction to zener diode, let us concentrate on the breakdown techniques of zener diode by means of a demonstration. 1. Zener breakdown 2. Avalanche breakdown

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Suggested Activity: Demonstration Let us have a bag containing some plastic balls. The bag is tied by means of a knot. Unless the knot is opened, no ball can come out of the bag. Once the knot is opened, the plastic balls will hit with each other and they will be moved from one place to another. It may be done in front of the learners for better understanding. Similarly, zener breakdown occurs, when the electric field across the junction is high. The force is high enough to generate free carriers and the current will be low. Once, the breakdown voltage exceeds the zener voltage, the avalanche breakdown will start, and the free electrons will acquire sufficient energy from the external supply and produce free electrons and this action is cumulative and it results in large amount of current. This breakdown is known as avalanche breakdown.

After summarizing the breakdown techniques of Zener diode, it would be appropriate to explain the characteristics of zener diode with the help of a board presentation.

Characteristics of Zener Diode

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Applying a positive potential to the anode and a negative potential to the cathode of the zener diode establishes a forward bias condition. The forward characteristic of the zener diode is same as that of a PN junction diode i.e. as the applied potential increases, the current increases exponentially. Applying a negative potential to the anode and positive potential to the cathode reverse biases the zener diode. As the reverse bias increases the current increases rapidly in a direction opposite to that of the positive voltage region. Thus under reverse bias condition breakdown occurs. It occurs because there is a strong electric field in the region of the junction that can disrupt the bonding forces within the atom and generate carriers. The breakdown voltage depends upon the amount of doping. For a heavily doped diode depletion layer will be thin and breakdown occurs at low reverse voltage and the breakdown voltage is sharp. Whereas a lightly doped diode has a higher breakdown voltage. This explains the zener diode characteristics in the reverse bias region.

After summarizing the characteristics of Zener diode, it would be appropriate to make the learners to think about the various applications of zener diode with a brainstorming exercise. Suggested Activity: Brainstorming Having understood the concepts and characteristics of zener diode, the learners may be asked to come out with the various applications of it , that strikes in their mind and the faculty may tune it in a fine manner and may present it to the students.

Applications of Zener Diode

The zener diode may be used as: Voltage regulator and Stabilizers: A Regulator is a device that maintains a constant voltage inspite of the fluctuations in the input voltage. Similarly, a Zener diode provides a voltage regulation after a certain point. So, it is having a regulating ability and it is used as a voltage regulator and as a stabilizers. It is used as fixed reference voltage in biasing circuits, since it is

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having the regulating capability. A biasing circuit needs a specific constant voltage for its operation.

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Conclusion
Having discussed about the concepts of zener diode, it would be good to revise the concepts discussed with the help of an activity.

Suggested Activity: Innovative Conclusion Based on the register number of the learners, a learner having an odd reg.no may be called in random and he/she will ask the learner 2 who may be having an even reg.no to come up with a keyword discussed in the session. This keyword would be explained by the learner who asked for the keyword, i.e. learner with an odd reg.no. Now the learner having an even reg.no will ask for a keyword to the learner having another odd reg.no that this learner would explain. Repeat this process till all the keywords are covered which was discussed in the class.

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Summary
In this session, we learnt to: Define a zener diode and its working principle. o It is a diode that works effectively under breakdown region. Explain the process of Avalanche and Zener breakdown. o Zener breakdown It occurs, when the electric field across the junction is high. The force is high enough to generate free carriers. o Avalanche breakdown - If the breakdown voltage exceeds the zener voltage, the avalanche breakdown will start and the free electrons will acquire sufficient energy from the external supply and produce free electrons. Explain the V I characteristics of Zener diode. o The forward characteristic of the zener diode is same as that of a PN junction diode i.e. as the applied potential increases, the current increases exponentially. o If the reverse bias increases the current increases rapidly in a direction opposite to that of the positive voltage region. Thus under reverse bias condition breakdown occurs. State the various applications of zener diode - Voltage regulators and stabilizers.

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Assignment
1. The learners may be asked to make a comparison of zener diode with the ordinary P-N junction diode

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References
Electronic Devices and Circuits by Jacob Millman Tata McGraw Hill Publishers. Electronic Devices and Circuits by David A. Bell Prentice Hall of India. A Textbook of Applied Electronics R.S.Sedha S.Chand Publishers

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