Zener Diode as Voltage Stabilizer

Zener Diode as Voltage Stabilizer

A Zener diode can be used as a voltage stabilizer by using it in reverse bias. When the Zener diode is connected in this way, it will allow current to flow through it when the voltage across it exceeds the Zener voltage. This can be used to stabilize the voltage across a load by connecting the Zener diode in series with the load and a power source.

For example, if a load requires 5V to operate and the power source has a voltage that varies between 6V and 8V, a Zener diode with a Zener voltage of 5V could be connected in series with the load and the power source. When the power source voltage is above 5V, the Zener diode will conduct, causing excess current to flow through it and dissipate as heat. This will prevent the voltage across the load from rising above 5V, effectively stabilizing it.

It's important to note that the Zener diode will not be able to stabilize the voltage if the power source voltage falls below the Zener voltage. In this case, the diode will not conduct and the voltage across the load will be equal to the power source voltage.

FAQs-

What is Voltage Stabilization?

A rectifier with an appropriate filter serves as a good source of d.c. output.
However, the major disadvantage of such a power supply is that the output voltage
changes with the variations in the input voltage or load.

Thus, if the input voltage increases, the d.c. output voltage of the rectifier also increases. Similarly, if the load current increases, the output voltage falls due the voltage drop in the rectifying element, filter chokes, transformer winding etc. In many electronic applications, it is desired that the output voltage should remain constant regardless of the variations in the input
voltage or load.

In order to ensure this, a voltage stabilizing device, called voltage stabilizer is used. Several stabilising circuits have been designed but only as a voltage stabilizer will be discussed.

What is Zener Diode?

It has already been discussed that when the reverse bias on a crystal diode is
increased, a critical voltage, called breakdown voltage is reached where the reverse
current increases sharply to a high value.

The breakdown region is the knee of the
reverse characteristic as shown in Fig.1.

The satisfactory explanation of this breakdown of the junction was first given by the American scientist C. Zenger.
Therefore, the breakdown voltage is sometimes called zener voltage and the sudden increase in current is known as zener current.

The breakdown or zener voltage depends upon the amount of doping. If the diode is heavily doped, depletion layer will be thin and consequently the breakdown of the junction will occur at a lower reverse voltage. On the other hand, a lightly doped diode has a higher breakdown voltage; it is called a zener diode.

A properly doped crystal diode which has a sharp breakdown voltage is known
as a zener diode.

Fig.2 shows the symbol of a zener diode. It may be seen that it is just like an
ordinary diode except that the bar is turned into z-shape.

The following points may be noted about the Zener Diode:

(i) A zener diode is like an ordinary diode except that it is properly doped so
as to have a sharp breakdown voltage.

(ii) A zener diode is always reverse connected i.e. it is always reverse biased.

(iii) A zener diode has sharp breakdown voltage, called zener voltage Vz .

(iv) When forward biased, its characteristics adore just those of ordinary
diode.
(v) The zener diode is not immediately burnt just because it has entered the
*breakdown region. As long as the external circuit connected to the diode
limits the diode current to less than burn out value, the diode will not burn
out.

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