Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.

Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage

Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

Experiment - 5
The Zener Diode as a voltage Regulator
5-1 Object:
To study the zener diode i-v characteristics, and to study the
application of zener diode as voltage regulator diode.
5-2 Theory:
A zener diode is a silicon diode that the manufacture has improved
to operate in the breakdown region, the zener diode works better in this
region. So that the zener diode is the main part of the voltage regulators
see figure (5-1). The regulator circuit is a circuit used to maintain the load
voltage almost constant in spite of the big changes in the voltage and load
resistors.

Figure (5-1) Zener diode

Figure (5-2) shows the i-v characteristics of a zener diode. In the

direct region, it begins conducting about 0.7V, just as a common silicon
diode does. In the leak region (between zero and breakdown), it has only
a small leak or reverse current. In a zener diode, the breakdown has quite
a sharp elbow followed by an increase in current almost vertical. And
notice that the voltage is almost constant, approximately equal to V z on
most of the breakdown region.
The power dissipation of a zener diode is equal to the product of its
voltage by its current. That is:

If the Pz is less then nominal power the zener diode can operate in
the breakdown region without being destroyed. Commercially we can
find zener diodes that have nominal powers from 0.25W to than 5W.
Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.
Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage
Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

Figure (5-2) i-v characteristics of zener

5-2-1 voltage Regulation through a Zener diode:

A zener diode is sometimes called voltage regulator diode, because
it is maintains the output voltage constant through the current that flow
through it. For normal operation the zener diode has to be inversely
polarized, as it is indicated in figure (5-3). Furthermore, to produced the
breakdown, the source voltage VS has to be bigger than the zener
breakdown voltage VZ. a resistor in series RS is always used to limit the
zener current to a value minor then it's nominal current; otherwise, the
zener diode would be burnt as any other device that has much power
dissipation.

Figure (5-3) the intersection between i-v characteristics curve

and load curve of zener diode

The voltage through the resistor in series is equal to the difference

of the source voltage and the zener voltage, VS VZ. Therefore, the
current through the resistor is:
Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.
Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage
Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

The operation point of the zener diode is that in which the load line
and the operation curve are crossed. With two points the load line is
obtained. These points are possible to obtain measuring I when VZ=0, and
measure VZ when I=0. Notice that if you sketch another load line with
another voltage for the source or another load resistor, the voltage in the
zener will be very near because the fragment of the curve in that section
is almost vertical.
Figure (5-4) shows a zener diode used to regulate the voltage
through a load resistor. Due to the fact that this circuit has two meshes, it
is slightly more complex than the previous zener circuits, however, the
basic idea is the same; the zener diode works in the break region and
maintains the voltage in the load almost constant.

Figure (5-4) a zener diode used as a voltage regulator to resistor

load

Due to the fact that the zener resistor usually has a very small effect,
the voltage in the load can be approximately calculated by

And the current in the zener can be calculated by the following

equation:

5-3 Procedures:
Circuit is shows in figure (5-5). It is a voltage regulator circuit
through a zener diode of 6.6V.
Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.
Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage
Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

Figure (5-5) Circuit of Voltage regulator

1. Connect the zener diode, in circuit in figure 5.6, in series with

resistor Rs (22) and in direct polarization, and feed this assembly
with the source of 2V of circuit sources.

Figure (5-6) connection circuit of zener diode to

find i-v characteristics at forward bias
2. Fill in the table (5-1) with the values obtained from this test.
Table (5-1) zener diode i-v characteristics at forward bias
VS (V) IZ (mA) VD (V)
0.1
0.3
0.5
0.7
0.8
1
2
Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.
Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage
Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

3. Now connect the connection as illustrate in figure (5-7).

Figure (5-7) connection circuit of zener diode to find i-v

characteristics at reverse bias
4. Fill in the table (5-2) the current values.
Table (5-2) zener i-v characteristics at reverse bias
VS (V) Iz (mA) VZ (V)
1
3
5
6
7
9
10

5. Connect the circuit as shown in figure (5-8), and adjust the value of
RL to (8K).

Figure (5-8) connection circuit of zener diode as a voltage regulator

Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.
Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage
Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

6. Fill in the table (5-3) adjusting the input voltage source to the
specified values in table (5-3).
Table (5-3) zener diode as a voltage regulator fixed RL & Variable VS
VS (V) IZ (mA) VZ (V)
1
2
4
6
8
10

7. Reconnect the circuit as shown in figure (5-8), and adjust the value
of VS to (8V).
8. Fill in the table (5-4) adjusting RL to the specified values in table
(5-4).
Table (5-4) zener diode as a voltage regulator fixed VS & Variable RL
RL (K) IZ (mA) VZ (V)
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
10

5-4 Discussion:
1. Draw the Zener operation curve in drawing paper with the results
from tables (5-1), and (5-2).
2. What is the value of zener voltage VZ of zener 1N4461?
3. What is the value of the power dissipated by the zener diode when
the load is 6K in table (5-3)?
4. What is the differences between a normal diode and a zener diode ?
5. Explain how the regulator circuit in Figure (5-8), works?
6. If you are going to design a regulator circuit , what are the
important parameters that should know about the zener ?