Zener Diodes

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
Technologies and Research
 Step 1
Determine the state of the Zener diode by removing it from the network
and calculating the voltage across the resulting open circuit.

If V ≥ VZ, the Zener diode is “on”

If V≤ VZ, the diode is “off” and the open-circuit

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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 2. Substitute the appropriate equivalent circuit
and solve for the desired unknowns.
For the network in the “on” state will result in
the equivalent network
Since voltages across parallel elements must be the same

The Zener diode current must be

determined by an application of
Kirchhoff’s current law.

Where

The power dissipated by the Zener diode is

determined by

which must be less than the PZM specified for the device.
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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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 (a) For the Zener diode network, determine VL, VR, IZ, and PZ.
(b) Repeat part (a) with RL = 3 k.

Since V 8.73 V is less than VZ 10 V, the diode is

in the “off” state
Substituting the open-circuit equivalent will result
in the same network as in Fig. 2.110, where we
find that

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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 (b) Repeat part (a) with RL = 3 k.

Since V = 12 V is greater than VZ = 10 V, the diode is in the “on” state and the network

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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 Fixed Vi, Variable RL

To determine the minimum load resistance

(Minimum RL) that will turn the Zener
diode on, simply calculate the value of RL that will
result in a load voltage VL = VZ.
Solving for RL(Minimum) we have

Any load resistance value greater than the RL obtained

will ensure that the Zener diode is in the “on” state and
the diode can be replaced by its VZ source equivalent.
The condition for the minimum RL but in turn
specifies the maximum IL as

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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Once the diode is in the “on” state, the voltage across R remains fixed at

and IR remains fixed at

The Zener current

resulting in a minimum IZ when IL is a maximum and a maximum IZ when IL is

a minimum value since IR is constant.

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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Computation of Maximum RL

Since IZ is limited to IZM as provided on the data sheet, it does affect the range of RL and
therefore IL.

Substituting IZM for IZ establishes the minimum IL as

and the maximum load resistance as

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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Practical Assignment - 1
(a) For the network of Fig. 2.113, determine the range of RL and IL that will result
in VRL being maintained at 10 V.
(b) Determine the maximum wattage rating of the diode.

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
Technologies and Research
 Fixed RL, Variable Vi
For fixed values of RL in Fig. 2.106, the voltage Vi
must be sufficiently large to turn the Zener diode
on. The minimum turn-on voltage Vi = Vimin is
determined by

The maximum value of Vi is limited by the maximum Zener current IZM. Since
IZM IR IL,

Since IL is fixed at VZ/RL and IZM is the maximum value of IZ, the maximum Vi
is defined by

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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Practical Assignment - 2

Determine the range of values of Vi that will maintain the Zener diode of Fig. 2.115
in the “on” state.

The results reveal that for the network with a

fixed RL, the output voltage will remain fixed at
20 V for a range of input voltage that extends
from 23.67 to 36.87 V.

Govt. of NCT of Delhi

Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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In fact, the input could appear as shown in Fig. 2.117 and the output would remain
constant at 20 V, as shown in Fig. 2.116. The waveform appearing in Fig. 2.117 is
obtained by filtering a half-wave- or full-wave-rectified. The net effect, however, is to
establish a steady dc voltage (for a defined range of Vi) such as that shown in Fig. 2.116
from a sinusoidal source with 0 average value.

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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Two back-to-back Zeners can also be used as an ac regulator as shown in Fig. 2.119a. For the
sinusoidal signal vi the circuit will appear as shown in Fig. 2.119b at the instant vi =10 V. The
region of operation for each diode is indicated in the adjoining figure.

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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Note that Z1 is in a low-impedance region, while the impedance of Z2 is quite large,
corresponding with the open-circuit representation. The result is that vo = vi when vi 10 V. The
input and output will continue to duplicate each other until vi reaches 20 V. Z2 will then “turn
on” (as a Zener diode), while Z1 will be in a region of conduction with a resistance level
sufficiently small compared to the series 5-k resistor to be considered a short circuit.

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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Two or more reference levels can be established by placing Zener diodes in series

As long as Vi is greater than the sum of VZ1 and VZ2, both

diodes will be in the “on” state and the three reference voltages will be available.

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Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication
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