the act of a person who encloses something in or as if in a casing or covering, a school giving instruction in one or more of the fine or dramatic arts, a comic character, usually masked, dressed in multicolored, diamond-patterned tights, and carrying a wooden sword or magic wand, First recorded in 1955–60; named after U.S. physicist Clarence Melvin, Dictionary.com Unabridged When the diode is forward biased, it acts like a diode or a closed switch. The amount of voltage required for reverse bias varies according to the Zener … Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Working Principle of Zener Diode When a PN junction diode is reverse biased, the depletion layer becomes wider. Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021, Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition The voltage needed for this is called the breakdown voltage or Zener voltage. A diode is a specialized electronic component with two electrodes called the anode and the cathode.Most diodes are made with semiconductor materials such as silicon, germanium, or selenium.Some diodes are comprised of metal electrodes in a chamber evacuated or filled with a pure elemental gas at low pressure. the earliest and simplest type of electronic valve having two electrodes, an anode and a cathode, between which a current can flow only in one direction. When the voltage across the zener diode reached a certain point, the element would begin to conduct current ,routing it to ground, thus preventing the battery from overcharging. Zener diode temperature characteristic It can be seen in the example given that there is a noticeable difference between the specification for the Zener diode reverse voltage at 0°C and 50°C. A Zener diode is a semiconductor device which conducts in forward biased as well as reversed biased. (This answer goes with the earlier comment above.) Definition: A special type of PN junction diode that operates in reverse biased mode, more specifically in breakdown region is known as Zener Diode. Clarence M. Zener †1993 American physicist. Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). It was formerly widely used as a rectifier and detector but has now been replaced in most electrical circuits by the more efficient and reliable semiconductor diode. However, the Zener has unique reverse bias qualities that make it differ from the typical diode. It has high resistance on one end and low resistance on the other end. Thus, a normal PN junction diode is considered as a unidirectional device. In order to achieve sharp breakdown voltage, it is properly doped. : a silicon semiconductor device used especially as a voltage regulator. A diode is a semiconductor device which conducts in one direction only. simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab. Information and translations of Zener diode in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. After exceeding this voltage, current value rapidly increases. What does Zener diode mean? The diode consists of a special, heavily doped p-n junction, designed to conduct in the reverse direction when a certain specified voltage is reached. A diode is the ' “Zener diode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zener%20diode. The figure below shows the circuit arrangement of the Zener diode as a regulator. Light-emitting diodes are p-n junctions that emit light when a current flows through them. “Capital” vs. “Capitol”: Do You Know Where You’re Going? Construction of a zener diode: Zener diode is a special purpose p-n junction diode. “Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time, “Misinformation” vs. “Disinformation”: Get Informed On The Difference, “DNA” vs. “RNA” vs. “mRNA”: The Differences Are Vital, The Most Surprisingly Serendipitous Words Of The Day. You see her location on the map but the actual streets have signs that only allow traffic to flow in one direction, the 'one way' street sign. Characteristics Curve Figure 8 shows a characteristic curve for a Zener diode. Imagine you're driving through a busy city looking for your friend's home on Light Bulb Avenue. The Zener Diode Characteristic A zener diode has two connections: a cathode and an anode. These devices are used to protect circuits by limiting the voltage and to also transform AC into DC. Zener diodes have a well-defined breakdown voltage, so that current flows in the reverse direction at that voltage and a constant voltage can be maintained despite … If you are a student or simply want to learn how to solve Zener Diode tasks, please visit this sectionof our website where you can find a wide variety of electronic tasks. Zener diode - definition. It is fabricated by using heavily doped p-side and n-sides of the diode. Delivered to your inbox! The Zener diode can be defined as; it is a special kind of diode when we compare with other diodes. Zener diodes are used for providing reference voltages, whilst varactor diodes are used to provide a variable level of capacitance in an RF design according to the reverse bias provided. Accessed 10 Jan. 2021. Post the Definition of zener diode to Facebook, Share the Definition of zener diode on Twitter, Words From 1921: 100 Years Old and Still Around. For sma… Useful when no Zener part (or the correct voltage) is not available. See more. What Does Amen Mean At The End Of A Prayer? Zener diode definition semiconductor used on British motorcycles for many years as a voltage regulator . 'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'? The Dictionary.com Word Of The Year For 2020 Is …. A zener diode is a special kind of diode which allows current to flow in the forward direction in the same manner as an ideal diode, but will also permit it to flow in the reverse direction when the voltage is above a certain value known as the breakdown voltage, "zener knee voltage" or "zener voltage. Figure 7.The schematic symbol for the Zener diode. A made up Zener Diode (from standard diodes). a semiconductor diode that exhibits a sharp increase in reverse current at a well-defined reverse voltage: used as a voltage regulator. The flow of current in this diode will be in a forward direction or in reverse direction. It is also called breakdown diode. Definition: Zener diode is specially designed for operation in the breakdown region in reverse bias condition. 'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'. A diode is effectively like a valve for an electrical circuit.. Semiconductor diodes are the most common type of diode. A Zener Diode is a special kind of diode which permits current to flow in the forward direction as normal, but will also allow it to flow in the reverse direction when the voltage is above a certain value – the breakdown voltage known as the Zener voltage. What made you want to look up zener diode? Instead, a diode will have negligible resistance in one direction (to allow current flow), and very high resistance in the reverse direction (to prevent current flow). If your language skills aren’t already top-notch, then this vocab quiz can get you up to speed! What differs Zener diode from regular semiconductor diode is when Zener is reverse-biased, one can notice thatZener diode is able to conduct electricity after exceeding the specified voltage at the junction, so called Zener breakdown voltage without damaging the component. The Zener diode is a special type of diode that is designed to work in reverse bias and in the so-called Zener region of the diode characteristic curve. Zener diodes acts like normal p-n junction diodes under forward biased condition. Definition of Zener diode in the Definitions.net dictionary. The Zener will go into reverse bias at various voltages. A diode is a two-terminal electronic component that conducts electricity primarily in one direction. This needs to be taken into account if the circuit and equipment in which the Zener diode is to be used is subject to temperature change. Zener diode definition, a semiconductor diode across which the reverse voltage remains almost constant over a wide range of currents, used especially to regulate voltage. Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative? An electronic device that can be used as a voltage regulator is the Zener diode, Figure 7. A Zener diode is a specially designed, highly doped PN junction diode. Although in the real world, diodes can not achieve zero or infinite resistance. Even though they transmit current in a single direction, the way with which they transmit … American Scientist C. Zener explained the phenomenon of the breakdown. A normal diode if operated in reversed biased will get destroyed. If this reverse biased voltage across the diode is increased continually, the … Zener Diode Definition: A heavily doped semiconductor diode which is designed to operate in reverse direction is known as the Zener diode. special type of diode that lies at the heart of voltage regulators and circuits generating the reference voltage for a differential amplifier The constant voltage (V 0 = V Z) is the desired voltage across the load. Learn a new word every day. Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? "The device was named after Clarence Zener, who discovered this electrical property. A Zener diode contains a heavily doped p–n junction allowing electrons to tunnel from the valence band of the p-type material to the conduction band of the n-type material, such that the reverse voltage is "clamped" to a known value (called the Zener voltage), and avalanche does not occur. Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way. Because it is built with a known breakdown voltage it can be used to supply a known voltage. This method is also useful when you need a Zener with a … A Zener Diode, also known as a breakdown diode, is a heavily doped semiconductor device that is designed to operate in the reverse direction. Definition of zener diode. Rectifier diodes may use a straightforward PN junction diode, or in some cases they may use a … Several p-n junction diodes can be connected in series to make a rectifier (an electrical component that converts alternating current to direct current). zener diode is a special type of device designed to operate in the zener breakdown region. In the above circuit, the Zener diode of Zener Voltage V Z is connected across the load R L in reverse condition. A Zener diode is a silicon semiconductor device that permits current to flow in either a forward or reverse direction. Its symbol is shown in the attached figure. 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