INDEX

MY EXPERIENCE IN AUTONOMOUS ROBOTICS  

Diodes
Diodes continued
Zener Diode
Zener Diode Table

 

 

 

 

ZENER DIODE
A zener diode works in reverse biased region. In reverse biase it gives fixed output voltage. The following diagram shows a normal connection for the zener diode. The current limiting resisting should be chosen properly. Let's take an example for the use of zener diode, USB port gives Vcc=5V, but it takes input voltages around 3.3V. So we apply this circuit with zener diode,Vz=3.3V, (because most embedded systems work at 5V) to get voltage=3.3V. In forward bias it works as a normal diode.See the link
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/chpt_3/9.html
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electronic/zener.html
http://www.phys.ualberta.ca/~gingrich/phys395/notes/node60.html

NOTE: If current limit resistor is not connected or it is not of proper value, then it cause heating of the zener diode. So remember about this before touching zener diode.If the input voltage is less than Vz then output voltage will be zero(ideally).

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