Subject : Electronic Systems

Topic : Diode and Zener Diode Charaecteristics

Objectives :
1. To study the charaecteristics of diode and ener diode.
!. To construct the "#$ charaecteristics of diode.
%. To differentiate the operation of diode and ener diode.
Tools : &'#!1((1 and &'#1%(() 'inear circuit 'ab.
*art + : Diode
"f p#type and n#type semiconductors are joined to,ether at a junction- a pn#junction diode is
formed. The holes and electrons combine- but only for a narro. re,ion ri,ht at the junction.
The reason foe the narro. re,ion of recombination is that the p#type becomes ne,atively
char,ed as holes move into the n#type- and n#type becomes positively char,ed as electrons
move into the p#type. The narro. re,ion is called the / depletion re,ion0 or the / space 1
char,e re,ion0 because it contains no mobile carries.
"f a dc volta,e is applied across the pn#junction diode- the p#type is made positive .ith
respect to the n#type- as sho.n in 2i, 1#1 3a4. "n effect- then- the holes of the p#type and the
electrons of the n#type are forced closer to,ether. Therefore- the probability of majority
carries passin, across the depletion re,ion or the barrier is increased- and a for.ard current "2
is obtained. This arran,ement is called a for.ard bias.
"n 2i, 1#1 3b4- the diode is no. reverse#biased- the potential barrier at the junction is
increased and the .idth of the depletion re,ion is increased. The effect is to reduce the
probability of majority carriers crossin, the barrier. The reverse current "5- due to minority
carriers- is very small.
*rocedure
1. 6odule &'#1%(() and the main unit &'#!1((1 had been set and locate.
!. 2i, 1#! and 2i, 1#% had been complete .ith short circuit clips.
%. The positive po.er supply had been set to 1( $ and apply to $7 terminal.
8. To measure and record the volta,e bet.een the end terminal 1 and % of $51- .e are
usin, the voltmeter . E$51 9 1( $
The $51 .as used to adjust the volta,e by applied to the diode D1 and 51 .as a
current limit resistor by protectin, the diode D1
:. (.1$ had been obtain by tuned $51 and measured the volta,e across 51. "t also
obtained a for.ard current "2 9 (.1m+ 3(.1$;51 9 (.1$;1&4
<. The volta,e across D1 had been record as $f in table 1#1 .hen if reached (.1m+
Table 1#1
"2
3m+4
(.1 (.! (.% (.8 (.: (.< (.) (.= (.> 1.( !.( %.( 8.( :.(
$2
3$4
(.: (.:! (.:8 (.:< (.:) (.:= (.:> (.:> (.:> (.< (.<% (.<: (.<< (.<)
). The value of "2 and $2 had been plot on the ,raph fi, 1#8.This curve is the $2#"2
characteristic vurve of the diode D1.
*+5T ?: ZE@E5 D"ODE
TAEO5B
Zener diode are .idely used in volta,e- re,ulator circuits and are normally desi,ned to
operate in reverse bias re,ion. The "#$ characteristic curve of the ener diode is sho.n in
2i,1#1#:. The ener diode is similar to the rectifier diode .hen it operates in for.ard bias
re,ion. Chen the ener diode is reverse biased and the reverse volta,e $5 is before a preset
value- only a small reverse current "5 flo.s until the preset value of volta,e is reached. The
preset value of volta,e is called breaDdo.n or ener volta,e $Z. +t the $Z- the reverse
current "Z increase rapidly but the volta,e remains nearly constant.
The ener diode volta,e is determined by the desi,n of the ener diode and the materials
used. "n practice- the ener current "Z desi,ned to flo. must be in the ran,e "ZT to "Z6. The
value of "Z6 depends on the maEimum po.er dissipation of the ener diode because
*6+F9$Z "Z6