ZENER DIODE

Aim:
To study the characteristics of zener diode.
Apparatus:
Zener diode, Variable power supply (0-15V), Resistances, Voltmeter, milliammeter.
Theory:
Zener diode is reverse biased, heavily doped silicon ( or germanium) P-N junction
diode which is operated in the break down region. A P-N junction diode is one-way device
offering low resistance when forward biased and behaving almost as an insulator when
reverse biased. Hence such diodes are mostly used as rectifiers. Normal diodes damages at
the break down voltage. But zener diode is speciall designed to operate in the reverse
breakdown region.
The basic principle of zener diode is the zener breakdown. When the diode is
forward biased and the applied voltage is increaded from zero, in the beginning no current
flows but, current increases rapidly even with a little increasing voltage when internal
barrier voltage is neutralised. It is almost acting as normal diode while forward biasing.
When the diode in reverse biased only small current flows through the diode. As the reverse
voltage is increased from zero, the reverse current increased rapidly. If the reverse bias is
still further increased beyond a certain limit, the function breaks down and reverse current
rises very sharply to a very light value. This critical value of voltage remains constant and is
called break down voltage. The junction offeres zero resistance at this point. This effect is
called zener effect and the diode is called zener diode.

Procedure:
Forward Bias characterstics:
A zener diode is connected in series with a variable
power supply (0-13V), a milliammeter and a resistance R
(1K) as shows figure.The diode is in forward bias.A
voltmeter V2 is connected across the diode to measure P.D
across the diode. The voltage across the diode(V) is kept
0.1 volt and reading in the milliammeter (I) is noted. By
using the power supply the voltage across the diode is increased in steps of 0.1 volt ( or
0.05 volt) and corresponding values of current are measured using milliammeter. The values
are tabulated using milliammeter. The values are tabulated in table.

Reverse Bias Characterstics :

The zener diode, milliammeter ( mA) and resistor
1kohm are connected in series to the regulated power supply
as shown in fig. The diode is now in reverse bias.A voltmeter
'V' is connected across the diode to measure P.D. across it. By
using the power supply the voltage across the diode (Vz) is
kept 5 volts and the reading in the milliammeter (Iz) is noted.
By using the the power supply the volage across the diode is
incresed in steps of 5 volts and the correspinding value of
current are measured using milliammeter. The values are
tabulated in table.
Graphs:
A graph is plotted by
taking voltage along X- axis and
current along Y- axis. The
variation of V and I in the
forward in the variation of Iz and
Vz in the reverse bias are
represented on the same graphs
with different scales for I and Iz .
The forward bias characterstics
are drawn in the first quardrant
and the reverse bias chatacterstics
are drawn in the 3rd quardrant
Observations:
i) Forward Bias
S.NO. V(volt) I (mA)

ii)Reverse bias:
S.NO. Vz(volt) Iz (mA)

Precautions:
1. In measuring V in forward bias and VZ in reverse bias a sensitive
voltmeter must be used.
2. Zener diode should not be connected to the supply unit directly without
the load resistance R.
3. Loose connections are avoided.

Result:
V - I characterstics of a Zener diode are drawn