Working Principle, Application Scenarios, and Usage Precautions of Zener Diodes?

A Zener diode, also known as a voltage regulator diode, is a diode with stable voltage characteristics. Its working principle is based on the Zener effect, which means that when the reverse voltage of the Zener diode reaches its specific value, the current increases rapidly, stabilizing the voltage at that specific value.

Zener diodes have many application scenarios, such as:

1. Stabilizing power supply voltages, such as in low-power supply regulation.
2. In amplifier circuits, for bias circuits, current limiting circuits, regulation circuits, oscillation circuits, etc.
3. As zero-bias adjustment elements in analog or digital circuits.

When using Zener diodes, the following points should be noted:

1. Zener diodes require relatively high power supply voltages and generally need a stable DC power source.
2. The current through a Zener diode should not be too large to avoid exceeding its tolerance range, which could cause burnout or failure.
3. Technicians should pay attention to the rated voltage, rated current, and maximum power rating when selecting a Zener diode to ensure proper use.
4. Zener diodes must be used with the correct polarity and should not be connected in reverse.
5. When applying Zener diodes, factors from the external environment that could affect them should be minimized as much as possible to ensure stable performance.