Practice portal › Semiconductor Electronics › Zener Diode as a Voltage Regulator

Zener breakdown occurs in a p-n junction having p and n both

Asked in JEE Main 24th Feb 2nd Shift 2021 · Zener characteristics

Answer: (1) heavily doped and have narrow depletion layer.

Step-by-step solution

Zener breakdown needs a very strong field across the junction, of order 10⁶ V/m or more.

Heavy doping on both sides makes the depletion layer very thin, so even a few volts give such a field.

The field pulls electrons out of covalent bonds (field ionisation).

Why the other options are wrong

More Zener Diode as a Voltage Regulator questionsAll Zener Diode as a Voltage Regulator questions →

Reading this solution needs no sign-in. You only sign in to practise against the clock and keep your progress.

Practise this with a timer