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Zener Diode

A Zener diode is a specialized silicon semiconductor that allows current to flow in both directions and is designed to conduct in reverse when a specific voltage is reached, making it useful as a voltage regulator. Unlike PN junction diodes, Zener diodes have a narrow depletion zone and high electric field, preventing damage during reverse bias. LEDs emit light when forward biased due to electron recombination, while Zener and PN junction diodes do not emit visible light because their structure does not allow for photon escape.

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26 views2 pages

Zener Diode

A Zener diode is a specialized silicon semiconductor that allows current to flow in both directions and is designed to conduct in reverse when a specific voltage is reached, making it useful as a voltage regulator. Unlike PN junction diodes, Zener diodes have a narrow depletion zone and high electric field, preventing damage during reverse bias. LEDs emit light when forward biased due to electron recombination, while Zener and PN junction diodes do not emit visible light because their structure does not allow for photon escape.

Uploaded by

pranalipat23
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Zener diode

A Zener diode is a special purpose silicon semiconductor device that permits current to flow in either
a forward or reverse direction. The diode consists of a special, heavily doped p-n junction, designed to
conduct in the reverse direction when a certain specified voltage is reached. In reverse biased no matter any
number of electrons flows through the Zener diode; voltage will not exceed beyond particular value hence can
be used as voltage regulator. Zener diode is represented by
The depletion zone in Zener diode because Zener diode is heavily doped, is narrow compared to normal
PN junction diode. So, when forward biased Zener diode behaves like a PN junction diode but when reverse
biased because of high doping concentration and narrow depletion zone Zener diode doesn't get damage.
PN junction diode has wider depletion region as compared to Zener diode hence, it has low electric field
compared to Zener diode that means Zener diode has high electric field compared to PN junction diode. When
PN junction diode is reverse biased electrons from p side of diode get on to n side because of kinetic energy
they possess because of which there happens multiple collisions which heats up the diode and diode eventually
get burnt and damaged. Since the Zener diode has high electric field in reverse biased electrons from p side of
diode gets on to n side because of electric field and not because of kinetic energy thus, no collisions happen
which cause no heat and diode doesn’t burn.

VI characteristics of Zener diode

LED (light emitting diode)


light emitting diode as the name suggests, it is a diode with the ability to emit light when used in forward
biased i.e., when current is made to flow through it. In reverse biased it won’t work since very little amount
almost negligible current flow in circuit. LED is derivative of a PN junction diode. Light is made up of large
numbers of particles called photons. Light is emitted by LED because when forward biased, electrons from n
side of diode recombines with holes present on p side. Free electrons lose energy when they recombine with
hole, lost energy (as Law of conservation of energy suggests) need to get converted in some other form of
energy. Lost energy is photon. The color of emitted light depends on the energy band gap between electrons on
n side and holes on p side.
Now the question is, why does PN junction diode or Zener diode do not emit light as LED does? This is because
in LED p region of a diode is made narrower so that photon can easily escape the diode. Even Zener diode and
PN junction diode emits radiation, but those radiations are not visible to us as they don’t fall in visible region of
electromagnetic spectrum. Those can be IR radiation or radio waves.

Questions
1. What is difference between Zener diodes and PN junction diode? Mention any three.
2. Explain reverse biased in Zener diode
3. Why does Zener diode and PN junction diode do not emit light as LED do?
4. Draw graph for VI characteristics of Zener diode.
5. Draw neat, labeled circuit diagram for LED (show recombination of electrons and holes)
6. Write short note on LED

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