1.

Aim of experiment: To plot Forward & Reverse biased characteristics of

Zener diode

2. Apparatus: Zener diode, Power Supply, dc milliammeter and dc voltmeter

3. Theory/Principle:

A PN junction is known as a semiconductor or crystal diode, so called because

PN junction is grown out of a crystal.
Biasing a diode means applying appropriate DC voltage to a diode. A forward
biased diode conducts easily whereas reverse biased diode practically conducts
no current. It means that forward resistance of a diode is quite small as
compared with its reverse resistance
Forward current is the current flowing through a forward biased diode. Every
diode has a maximum value of forward current, which it can safely carry. If this
value is exceeded, the diode may be destroyed due to excessive heat. Reverse
current or leakage current is the current that flows through the reverse biased
diode. This current is due to the minority carriers. Under normal operating
voltages the reverse current is quite small. Its value is extremely small for
silicon diodes but it is appreciable for germanium diodes. Peak inverse voltage
is the maximum reverse voltage that a diode can withstand without destroying
the junction. If the reverse voltage across a diode exceeds this value, the reverse
current increases sharply and breaks down the junction due to excess heat. Peak
inverse voltage is important when diode is used as a rectifier.
Zener diode is a heavily doped PN junction diode, meant to operate in reverse
bias condition. 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. When zener diode is forward biased, its characteristics are just same as
ordinary diode.
Circuit Diagram:
Expected Graph:

Experimental Procedure:

The circuit connections are made as shown in the Fig.1. Initially the voltage is
set at 0V. The voltage is then varied in the steps of 0.1V and the corresponding
reading of the ammeter is noted. This set of reading corresponds to the forward
bias.
The circuit is then made for reverse bias as shown in Fig.2. The current is
measured by varying voltages in steps of 1V (in steps of 0.1 after the current
starts increasing).
A graph is plotted by taking voltage along X-axis and current along Y-axis. The
knee voltage is found by drawing a tangent in the forward bias at a point where
the current starts increasing at a faster rate. The breakdown voltage is found by
extending the curve to the X-axis in the reverse bias.
Result:

The Knee voltage = ……………………..V

The Breakdown voltage = ……………….V