STUDY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PN JUNCTION DIODE

AND ZENER DIODE

Experiment no. Date:

Aim: To study the VI characteristics of PN junction and Zener diodes

Apparatus Required:

Sl. No. Item Range Quantity

1. PN junction diode 1N4002 1
2. Zener diode 1N4739 1
3. Resistor 470Ω 1
1 kΩ 1
4. Ammeter 25 mA 1
500 μA 1
5. Voltmeter 1V 1
10 V 1
6. Breadboard - 1
7. Wires - As
required
8. Regulated power 0-30 V 1
supply

Circuit Diagram:

Forward bias of PN junction diode

Reverse bias of PN junction diode

Forward bias of Zener diode

Reverse bias of Zener diode

Theory:

PN junction diode

A p-n junction is a piece of semiconductor material in which part of the material is p-type and
part is n-type. When a junction is formed between p-type and n-type semiconductor materials,

the resulting device is called a semiconductor diode. This component offers an extremely low
resistance to current flowing in one direction and an extremely high resistance to current flowing
in the other. Various types of diodes are available for different applications. These include
rectifier diodes for use in power supplies, Zener diodes for use as voltage reference sources, light
emitting diodes etc. The connection to the p-type material is referred to as the anode while that to
the n-type material is called the cathode.

Figure 1.Circuit symbol of PN junction diode

PN junction diode in forward bias

When an external voltage is applied to a p-n junction making the p-type material positive with
respect to the n-type material, the p-n junction is forward biased. The applied voltage opposes
the contact potential, and, in effect, closes the depletion layer. Holes and electrons can now
cross the junction and current flows. An increase in the applied voltage above that required to
narrow the depletion layer (about 0.3 V for germanium and 0.7 V for silicon), results in a rapid
rise in the current flow. The voltage at which the diode starts conducting is called knee voltage or
threshold voltage or barrier cut in voltage. The applied voltage should not be increased beyond
certain safe limit; otherwise the diode is likely to burn out.
PN junction diode in reverse bias
When an external voltage is applied to a p-n junction making the p-type material negative with
respect to n type material, the p-n junction is reverse biased. The applied voltage is now in the
same sense as the contact potential and opposes the movement of holes and electrons due to
opening up of the depletion layer. Thus, in theory, no current flows. However, at normal room
temperature certain electrons in the covalent bond lattice acquire sufficient energy from the heat
available to leave the lattice, generating mobile electrons and holes. This process is called
electron-hole generation by thermal excitation. The electrons in the p-type material and holes in

the n-type material caused by thermal excitation are called minority carriers and these will be
attracted by the applied voltage. Thus, in practice, a small current of a few microamperes for
germanium and less than one microampere for silicon, at normal room temperature, flows under
reverse bias conditions.

Zener diodes:
Zener diodes are heavily doped silicon diodes that, unlike normal diodes, exhibit an abrupt
reverse breakdown at relatively low voltages (typically less than 6V). A similar effect, called
avalanche breakdown, occurs in less heavily doped diodes. These avalanche diodes also exhibit a
rapid breakdown with negligible current flowing below the avalanche voltage and a relatively
large current flowing once the avalanche voltage has been reached. For avalanche diodes, this
breakdown voltage usually occurs at voltages above 6 V. In practice, however, both types of
diodes are referred to as Zener diodes.
Whereas reverse breakdown is a highly undesirable effect in circuits that use conventional
diodes, it can be extremely useful in the case of Zener diodes where the breakdown voltage is
precisely known. When a diode is undergoing reverse breakdown and provided its maximum
ratings are not exceeded, the voltage appearing across it will remain substantially constant (equal
to the nominal Zener voltage) regardless of the current flowing. This property makes the Zener
diode ideal for use as a voltage regulator. Under forward bias condition, the Zener diodes behave
as normal PN junction diodes.

Figure 2.Circuit symbol of a Zener diod

Procedure:

1. V-I characteristics of PN junction and Zener diode

Forward characteristics:

1. Construct the circuit as per the circuit diagram.

2. Vary the voltage in steps by using the regulated power supply and note down the current
in each step correspondingly.

3. Plot the characteristics between forward voltage and forward current showing the turn-on
voltage (cut in voltage / knee voltage) explicitly.

Reverse characteristics:
1. Construct the circuit as shown in the circuit diagram.
2. Vary the voltage in steps by using the regulated power supply and note down the current
in each step correspondingly.
3. Plot the characteristics between reverse voltage and reverse current showing breakdown
voltage explicitly.
Model Graph

VI characteristics of PN junction diode

VI characteristics of Zener diode

Observation:

Tabular column: PN
Junction Diode Forward
bias

Sl. No. Voltage, VF (V) Current, IF (mA)

Reverse bias

Sl. No. Voltage, VR (V) Current, IR (μA)

Tabular column:
Zener Diode
Forward bias

Sl. No. Voltage, VF (V) Current, IF (mA)

Reverse bias

Sl. No. Voltage, VR (V) Current, IR (μA)

Result

Thus, the VI characteristics of PN junction diode and Zener diode were studied.