EXPERIMENT NO.
:- 4
Enrollment No – 92400938004
AIM: To obtain the forward bias and reverse bias characteristics of a Zener diode and find
out the Zener break down voltage from characteristics.
Objective
1. To understand zener diode operation.
2. To analyze the current flow in forward and reverse bias conditions.
Theory:
ZENER DIODE BIAS OPERATION:-
Zener diode is a P-N junction diode specially designed to operate in the reverse biased
mode. It is acting as normal diode while forward biasing. It has a particular voltage known as break
down voltage, at which the diode break downs while reverse biased. In the case of normal diodes
the diode damages at the break down voltage. But zener diode is specially designed to operate in
the reverse breakdown region. The basic principle of zener diode is the zener breakdown. When a
diode is heavily doped, it’s depletion region will be narrow. When a high reverse voltage is applied
across the junction, there will be very strong electric field at the junction. And the electron hole pair
generation takes place. Thus heavy current flows. This is known as zener breakdown. 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.
So a zener diode, in a forward biased condition acts as a normal diode. In reverse biased
mode, after the break down of junction current through diode increases sharply. But the
voltage across it remains constant. This principle is used in voltage regulator using
zener diodes CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:
Task-1 Circuit Diagram:
Forward Bias :
Reverse Bias :
Observation Table:
Forward Bias Reverse Bias
VD(Volt) ID VD(Volt) ID
100 mV
3.179 nA 100 mV 4.373nA
200
300 mV
mV 12.581 nA
400 mV 6.415 nA 200 mV
500 mVmV
599.998
699.982 mV 28.258 nA
799.851
898.747 mV
mV 10.149 nA 300 mV
990.898 mV 58.582 nA
18.155 nA 400 mV
117.04 nA
499.999 mV
62.91 nA
599.999 mV 230.784 nA
423.703 nA
699.998 mV 452.014 nA
3.501 uA
799.996 mV 882.593 nA
29.864 uA 899.981 mV 1.721 uA
250.629 uA
999.983 mV 3.353 uA
160.205 mA
1.199 V 1.82 mA 1.988 V 2.431 mA
1.236
1.256 V
1.27 V V 352.866 mA 93.075 mA
2.535 V
548.762 mA 2.69 V 262.024 mA
745.909 mA
2.77 V 446.064 mA
Task-2 Plot VI Characteristics (from the table):
Fig: Forward Bias
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
0
2
1
Fig: Reverse Bias
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
0
Task 3: Find the zener Breakdown voltage from Characteristics.
Results:
Reverse Breakdown Voltage: 2.2
CONCLUSION: To obtain the forward bias and reverse bias characteristics of a Zener diode and
get the Zener break down voltage from characteristics .
DATE OF COMPLITION: 17-03-2025 SIGNATURE
OF FACULTY :
GRADE :
