Generally speaking, we try to avoid operating diodes in their reverse breakdown region, but Zener diodes are the exception to this rule. Generally speaking, we try to avoid operating diodes in their ...

This Design Idea describes a versatile test circuit for zener diodes after yet another misread zener diode had infiltrated the ranks of 1N4148 diodes assembled on a pc board. As a bonus, the circuit ...

Ray Bohacz is a technical writer in both the automotive and agricultural industries and has been featured in more than 44 different magazine titles with over 3,000 published technical articles.

Zener diodes are PN junction devices that are designed to operate in the reverse-breakdown region. The breakdown voltage (Vz) of Zener diodes is set by carefully controlling the doping level during ...