ECE104 – Basic Electronics

Zener Diode
• Zener diode is a p-n junction diode that is designed to operate
in the reverse breakdown region.
• Two things happen when the reverse breakdown voltage (VBR)
is reached:
• The diode current increases drastically
• The reverse voltage (VR) across the diode remains relatively
constant
• The voltage across a zener diode operated in this region is
relatively constant over a range of reverse current and nearly
equal to its zener voltage (VZ) rating
Zener Diode

Cathode (K) K

VZ
IZ
−
Anode (A) A

Zener diode voltage-curent (V-I) characteristics

Zener Diode: Zener Breakdown
• There are two types of reverse breakdown:
1. Avalanche breakdown
2. Zener breakdown

• Avalanche breakdown is a high-field effect that occurs

when the electrostatic field strength associated with the p-
n junction is strong enough to pull electrons out of the
valence band within the depletion region
Zener Diode: Zener Breakdown
• Zener breakdown is a type of reverse breakdown that occurs at
relatively low reverse voltages. The n-type and p-type materials of
a zener diode are heavily doped, resulting in a very narrow
depletion region. Therefore, the electric field existing within this
region is intense enough to pull electrons from their valence bands
and create current at a low reverse voltage (VR).
• Note:
• Zener diodes with low VZ ratings experience zener breakdown,
while those with high VZ ratings usually experience avalanche
breakdown.
Zener Diode: Ideal vs. Practical
IF

VZ
VR VF

Ideal Diode Practical Diode

IR

exhibits a constant voltage, • Zener exhibits a near constant voltage,

regardless of current draw varied by current draw through the
exhibits no resistance series resistance ZZ.
characteristics • As Iz increases, Vz also increases.
Varactor Diode (Varicap)
• a type of p-n junction diode that operates in reverse bias
• the capacitance of the junction is controlled by the amount
of reverse bias
• Varactor diodes are also referred to as varicaps or tuning
diodes and they are commonly used in communication
50%
systems (transmitter and receiver) 𝐶𝑇

𝑅𝑠 𝑟 𝐿𝑠
A K

Varactor diode symbol Varactor diode equivalent circuit

(reverse bias)
Varactor Diode (Varicap)
• Basic operation
• The capacitance of a reverse-biased varactor junction is
found as: 𝜀𝐴
𝐶=
𝑑
Where: C = the total junction
capacitance
A = the plate area
ε = the dielectric constant
(permittivity) Reverse-biased
d = the width of the depletion varactor diode acts as
region (plate separation)
a variable capacitor
Varactor Diode (Varicap) Characteristics
• generate less noise
compared to other diodes
• low cost and more reliable
• very small in size and very
light weight
• in reverse bias mode,
Varactor diode enhances ElProCus

the capacitance
Characteristics of Varactor Diode
Varactor Diode (Varicap) Applications
• Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO)
• frequency modulators in radios and TV sets
• frequency multipliers in microwave receiver LO
• Variable resonant tank LC circuits
• RF filters
• AFC (Automatic Frequency Control) where in varactor diode
is used to set LO signal
• RF phase shifter
Varactor Diode Packaging

PicClick

Mini-Kits

Varicap Diode Glass Sealed

25-500pF Varactor Diode
Schottky Diode
• constructed of a metal-to-N junction 𝐾
rather than a P-N semiconductor
junction
• aka hot-carrier diodes
• characterized by fast switching times 𝐴
(low reverse-recovery time), low
forward voltage drop (typically 0.25 V to
0.4 V for a metal-silicon junction), and
low junction capacitance
• useful for high frequencies and digital
applications
 Schottky Diode Packaging & Characteristics

RS Components

SiC Schottky Diode HobbyTronics

1200V 10A BAT43 30V Silicon

www.radio-electronics.com/schottky_diode
2-Pin TO-220 Schottky Diode
Schottky diode
1N5822 40V 3A IV characteristic
Schottky Diode
keywordsuggest.org
Schottky Diode Applications
• RF mixer and detector diode
• Power rectifier
• Power OR circuits
• Solar cell applications
• Clamp diode - especially with its use in LS TTL
Tunnel Diode (Esaki Diode) 𝐾
• exploit a strange quantum
phenomenon called resonant
tunneling to provide interesting
𝐴
forward-bias characteristics
• when a small forward-bias
voltage is applied across a tunnel
diode, it begins to conduct
current
• as the voltage is increased, the
current increases and reaches a
peak value called the peak
current (IP).
Tunnel Diode Basic Construction and Packaging

IndiaMART
www.solo-labs.com

Swissen
Tunnel Diode Applications
• Due to the tunneling mechanism, it is used as an ultra high speed
switch
• The switching time is of the order of nanoseconds or even
picoseconds
• Due to the triple valued feature of its curve from current, it is used
as a logic memory storage device
• Due to extremely small capacitance, inductance and negative
resistance, it is used as a microwave oscillator at a frequency of
about 10 GHz
• Due to its negative resistance, it is used as a relaxation oscillator
circuit
Constant – Current Diode
• aka a current-limiting diode, or
current-regulating diode, does
exactly what its name implies: it
regulates current through it to
some maximum level
• if the current through a constant-
current diode is more than its
current-regulation point, it simply
"fights back" by dropping more
voltage
End