Britannica AI Icon

Zener diode

electronics
Also known as: avalanche diode, breakdown diode

Quick Summary

A Zener diode is a type of silicon semiconductor device, specifically a p-n junction diode, designed to operate in the reverse direction. It is engineered with a precisely controlled impurity distribution to achieve a well-defined breakdown voltage. This characteristic allows it to function as a voltage regulator, maintaining a constant voltage even when the input voltage or current fluctuates. Zener diodes are used as reference voltages in regulated power supplies and as protective devices against voltage and current surges. They can be designed to have breakdown voltages ranging from 0.1 volt to thousands of volts.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.