I never knew that "zener" diodes above 5V were actually avalanche. So interesting. Thanks for the video!
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks Ben - I always feel honored when I can teach *you* something!
@howardroark3052
6 жыл бұрын
To share a comment string with you two gentlemen is something I could not pass up. Thank you both for making the most exceptionally educational videos on the Internet.
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
Thank you for being a loyal viewer!
@PeterWalkerHP16c
4 жыл бұрын
Who knew you could almost base an entire physics career on diode design, application and theory.
@PeopleAlreadyDidThis
6 жыл бұрын
I’ve been catching up on your nearly 300 videos. I must say what a tremendous pleasure it is to watch a consummate professional with superb teaching skills. I so appreciate your concise, organized, brilliantly presented lessons, focused on the topic without distraction or drama. When I go sit down with my antique Tek equipment to enact your examples, I feel like I’ve been working there. This was never my field, but I’ve learned more theory and fundamentals-with clear understanding-in two weeks than I did in 40 years of dabbling. From one Alan E to another, you have my gratitude. Many thanks.
@nickxia3209
3 жыл бұрын
this little difference is never shown on books i read, thanx!
@maro8D
6 жыл бұрын
Oh that probe compensation screwdriver is just golden :) Great video Alan! Thank you and keep it up!
@BruceNitroxpro
5 жыл бұрын
When you work for a company which produces instruments whose functions are based on a zener reference diode's stability, you appreciate the cost of a GOOD diode when compared with a "blah" diode. LOL de KQ2E
@w2aew
5 жыл бұрын
Yes - there are temperature compensated zener diodes that are MUCH better!
@BruceNitroxpro
5 жыл бұрын
@@w2aew , Yes... especially after using the diodes from the burn in rack and 3 weeks of 140% of their rated current. The survivors are surprisingly quiet and stable. Perfect for stable reference use in regulated supplies.
@christianrochefort5592
6 жыл бұрын
Al, you are a really good teacher. Info is simple and easy to understand. All your videos and great but I especially like your back to basic and circuit fun videos. Thank you. 73, Christian, VE2MW
@jp040759
6 жыл бұрын
WOW. I miss these back to basics video topics. I never knew there were zeners and avalanche (zener) diodes. You ALWAYS teach something that is not generally taught in regular electronics courses or general articles. I guess I need to buy some good components from Digikey and test this myself. The chinesium devices are OK but that avalanche knee is incredible and a very desirable effect. I had no idea. THANK YOU MAESTRO.
@joopterwijn
6 жыл бұрын
Nice breakfast ✅ detailed zener explorations ✅ good start of the day!
@TheTruthSentMe
6 жыл бұрын
Could not have been explained any better. Excellent.
@T2D.SteveArcs
5 жыл бұрын
Now I know why i have seen zeners in series as a reference in older schematics they are trying to cancel the opposite temperature Coefficient for a more stable reference... love your vids Allan one of the best channels on yt.. your knowledge and aptitude for passing it on is really commendable.. you take the time to pass on with no real reward other than the knowledge you have helped others.. our society grows great thanks to folk of your calibre Thank you so much
@tonybell1597
6 жыл бұрын
Excellent work Alan, thanks, simple, clear explanation with quality practical demo.... Perfect combination....
@jmiller3921
6 жыл бұрын
Hey, what has happened to me?... Every time I search the internet for info about electronics my fingers automatically type in 'w2aew'... along with anything else I'm thinking about. I never actually think about doing it,... it just happens like that. Is this somehow all subtly related to the laws of electromagnetic attraction… an Alan Wolke effect? OR, is it simply the result of having found so much excellent content on Alan's Channel here?
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks! And, if there's a topic that you can't find on my channel, let me know! I can add it to my long list of future topics to cover...
@FlyingShotsman
6 жыл бұрын
Excellent, as always. Your explanations, diagrams and practical demonstrations make this crystal clear. This is the best coverage of Zener diodes I’ve seen. Well done, and thank you!
@frstok
6 жыл бұрын
Excellent, again! Love the way you combine theory and practical demonstrations.
@steve_case
6 жыл бұрын
Great to see a working 576 in action!
@VintageLabSilvioPinheiro
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks for share. 73 PU2SRZ - Sao Paulo - Brasil
@ISquishWorms
Ай бұрын
I learnt something (true Zener vs Acalanche Zener) thank you.
@bemi-ton
6 жыл бұрын
Zener sounds like Zehner in german. And Zehner contains Zehn = ten. So, our trainer always said: design Z-Diode bias resistors, that at least 10mA current runs through the diode ;)
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
Handy tip!
@SimoWill75
5 жыл бұрын
Kudos for the diplomatic pronunciation correction :D
@joseriggio4366
6 жыл бұрын
I watch as many electronic chanels as I can but you Alan are the number ONE, Thanks so much👍👍👍
@rdbanks2823
6 жыл бұрын
I’m in love with that Curve Tracer! That Vert/Div, Horiz/Div display 😍 Super interesting video! Thanks for this!
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
The numbers are from an array of fiber optic cables running back to an array of incandescent bulbs!
@justingilmore6417
6 жыл бұрын
fantastic video
@0MoTheG
Жыл бұрын
As you implied, the temperature stability depends on the break through voltage. The 5.2V Diodes are very stable as they tend to have a combined coefficient of zero.
@lalitverma8385
6 жыл бұрын
thanks alan for back to basics. I love it
@mrkattm
6 жыл бұрын
I have an undergrad in EE and I often learn a little something from your back to basic videos. You always do such a good job with these type videos, if you are not careful people might start to think that you are a nice guy :o) Thanks for sharing and keep out the good work. 73
@jamesbrown2163
2 жыл бұрын
This is the best tutorial on Zener Diodes I have ever seen. Was going to rate it 10 out of 10 then I saw you included the notes as a PDF. So now it is 11 out of 10. Thanks so much for the perfect demonstration.
@dancalmpeaceful3903
3 жыл бұрын
Outstanding vid and teaching. Zener diodes are often used in the design of Intrinsic Safety, where a circuit has to be used in a Hazardous location and the voltage MUST be controlled to never go beyond a certain amount.
@electronic7979
6 жыл бұрын
Useful video
@rpbale
6 жыл бұрын
Love these videos and the use of the curve tracer. Nobody is using them on KZitem. Kudos to you. Please show them more often. It would be cool to have you do a troubleshooting basics series of videos. With your logic and fundamentals approach to teaching I thinking that kind of series by you would really stand out.
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
I'll be doing more with the curve tracer.
@grantfullen9559
6 жыл бұрын
Yes I would love to see some troubleshooting with a curve tracer.
@ponymoore6140
Жыл бұрын
Again, the best explanation I have ever had. Thank you
@DSK_ytbe
6 жыл бұрын
I cant distribute thumbs down like this, but please beware of the mic lol
@MrPoornakumar
8 ай бұрын
Sums up Zener in all aspects. Enjoyed it,
@Lunamana
5 жыл бұрын
Big love to my teacher for showing me this channel, these videos are really helpful, thanks ^^
@w2aew
5 жыл бұрын
Very nice! I wonder where you're going to school (i.e. what teachers are sharing my channel?)
@Lunamana
5 жыл бұрын
@@w2aew Yeditepe University in Turkey, Introduction to Electronics course. He put your "Op Amp Power Supply Considerations" video as a tutorial for the Virtual Ground concept in one of our lab papers and i decided to check out more videos :P
@w2aew
5 жыл бұрын
@@Lunamana That is great! So happy to hear that my videos are helping the next generation of engineers!
@Pwaak
6 жыл бұрын
Really appreciate your lessons along with the actual event happening visually!
@786jinga
6 жыл бұрын
Once again! .....simply yet elegant video Alan !!!...... Love that Curve Tracer of yours :)
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
Me too! I'm very lucky to have it
@danishnative9555
6 жыл бұрын
Needs temperature compensated references described also. 1N82X series comes to mind.
@paulmacgiollacaoine8619
4 жыл бұрын
Now I know how they work :) Be great to see a voltage regulator circuit with a Zener in it.
@pirateman1966
6 жыл бұрын
Excellent video. I learn something new with every of your videos.. Thank you.
@au7weeng534
6 жыл бұрын
whoa... synchronicity I had just bought a couple of zeners a week ago or so but they didn't work as I expected so I put them away till better times now I know what my mistake was (too large series resistor)
@materialsguy2002
6 жыл бұрын
Nice 576 and good video. Thanks Alan.
@felixcat4346
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks for this nice video. TVS diodes are just a fancy name for an avalanche diode.
@stamasd8500
2 жыл бұрын
Out of the regular, cheap Zener diodes, the ones that have the lowest temperature coefficient are those rated for 5.6V. In them, the contribution of both effects (Zener and avalanche) is more or less balanced and the temperature coefficients largely cancel each other. So if you need the most temperature-stable Zener diode as a reference and don't want to pay for special parts, a 5.6V one is your best bet.
@w2aew
2 жыл бұрын
That's a bit of sage tribal knowledge, thank you!
@willyrivero470
6 жыл бұрын
Your videos are always excellent, well explained all around. Thanks a lot! Please keep on coming. These back to the basics are a great idea. I'll try not to miss any of them.
@jponcelo
6 жыл бұрын
I like your headings on the notebook with a kind of meteor underline--I've never noticed that before... anyway a great video as always!!
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
That was a new little bit of flair... ;-)
@paultopolski6595
6 жыл бұрын
Alan, When you published your step voltage generator video I knew a curve tracer was next. If i recall our email exchange correctly you mentioned you did not have a commercial curve tracer. So congratulations on the 576 acquisition, Once again, if i remember the conversation correctly. None-the-less, great video lesson. Having the right instructor with the right equipment to demonstrate the subject is priceless. 73, Paul, W1SEX
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
Yes, I was lucky to get this one earlier this summer - only needed a few small repairs.
@dentakuweb
6 жыл бұрын
That's some great educational material.
@sasines
6 жыл бұрын
Alan, excellent presentation as usual! I had long forgotten about the term avalanche diode and the difference between true zener and avalanche diode. Thanks for knocking off some of the cobwebs in my old brain. I truly enjoy your videos.
@bkrgls
6 жыл бұрын
Cool video...now I wanna buy a curve tracer and just play with my diodes i have lying around. 😁😁
@epakai
6 жыл бұрын
bkrgls If you have a 2-channel scope with XY mode you can build a basic curve tracer. Look up IV curve tracer or octopus curve tracer circuits
@bkrgls
6 жыл бұрын
epakai Hey thanks for that piece of information. I'll look it up. 👍
@howardroark3052
6 жыл бұрын
In fact Alan covered this very topic! kzitem.info/news/bejne/uI2Pk6SXpJ-QgoI
@caulktel
6 жыл бұрын
Great video Alan. Good use for your new curve tracer too.
@mre3820
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the tutorial 😀
@FredW-yt1ce
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks Alan. Love your videos. You are a great teacher!
@Radiowild
6 жыл бұрын
Was that a 6X4W on your bench? Never knew about the avalanche diodes. Thanks for sharing. 73's
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
I think that's what's in that box...
@Loscha
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks again for another really great video, Alan. I always learn a lot from your videos. Greetings again from Melbourne, Australia.
@amicklich6729
6 жыл бұрын
What a presentation! Thanks :)
@George-gz5zm
6 жыл бұрын
As always a great video
@Drekkag
6 жыл бұрын
you know how to make a complicated subject easy to understand. love watching your videos as they take me back to the basics. 73, ad0am
@StreuB1
6 жыл бұрын
I always learn something from your videos. Diodes were always a mystery to me but now....wow, eyes opened. Thank you Alan. 73 de N0BPS
@budude2
6 жыл бұрын
Really excellent video - your drawings made it so clear - I didn't realize there was a difference between the types of the generic name of 'zener diode'.
@TheRadioShop
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the great tutorial Alan.
@MauroSedrani
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks Alan, as usual!
@josephcorteo
6 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much!
@p_mouse8676
6 жыл бұрын
Good video. I only missed the fact that zener diodes can be noisy. Especially above 5-6V. Makes you wonder if the construction of avalanche diodes is inherent to more noise?
@PeregrineBF
6 жыл бұрын
The avalanche breakdown itself tends to be inherently noisy. That's annoying in some applications, but when you need a noise source (eg for a random number generator) it's very handy.
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
You're right, I didn't cover the noise characteristics of them.
@p_mouse8676
6 жыл бұрын
Another option is using normal diodes or LEDs in series
@smash7777-
6 жыл бұрын
Nice video! You have a very easy to follow/understand teaching style. Thanks for sharing some of your knowledge with us. 👍🏼
@DrTune
4 жыл бұрын
Holy breakdown Batman that was an absolutely fantastic video
@DrTune
4 жыл бұрын
Deeply appreciate you sharing your knowledge. You have a talent for explanation, also excellent hand drawings. Next time you think to yourself 'shall I make a video?' i want you to know how much this was appreciated. Well edited, too; no fat on the bone, but decently comprehensive
@MrNetmask
3 жыл бұрын
still learning! :)
@hermanvandijk6672
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks again AEW. For me, not being technically educated, your explanations are very clear and to the point. I keep all your info printed on my desk and work with it. Keeps me going in the hobby on my age.
@robertcalkjr.8325
6 жыл бұрын
Nice lesson Alan, thanks!
@ernestb.2377
Жыл бұрын
Nice lesson once again, especially about the avalanche process. My experience with "standard" zener diodes that they typically have a wide zener voltage tolerance, maybe even +/-10%. What I have noticed on your curve tracer that the forward part (first quadrant) also have a very steep (90 deg) curve, as in a lot of theory books that draw more a 45 deg curve. The 90 deg is more realistic as we know that a forward biased diode has a very little resistance and that the current would indeed sky rocket 🙂
@w2aew
Жыл бұрын
The "steepness" of the curve also depends on the horizontal scale used.
@ernestb.2377
Жыл бұрын
@@w2aew of course, but most of the time (zener graph) we see both quadrants (1st en 3rd), and the 3rd (reverse) is always very steep, but the 1st (forward) most of the time (not always though) under an angle of 45 Deg. The horizontal scale used is then the same for both quadrants (I suppose).
@ernestb.2377
Жыл бұрын
...but nevertheless very good short (remedial) lessons 👍
@chongli297
Жыл бұрын
Aha! So the balancing of the positive and negative temperature coefficients is what's used to make the temperature-stable Zener that you use as a voltage reference in your 50 microamp current source, handy for calibrating Simpson 260's! Love it!
@yoramstein
5 жыл бұрын
Hello Allen. My condolences for your loss of your father. Great video again.I have learned from watching it (Avalach effect, heavy /light doping). A nice follow up to this video could be the "variable voltage Zener diode" ( Zener conected to non inv. input op-amp with neg. feedback of 2 voltage divider resistors connected to the inv. input ) which is met in countless circuits as the LM431.
@MarcelHuguenin
5 жыл бұрын
Excellent video sir! This is a very insightful video about the zener diode. With the illustrations on the curve tracer made it even more clear. Thank you very much for this lesson. I like your videos a lot, you are an excellent teacher.
@industrialdonut7681
2 жыл бұрын
Incredible video. But does this mean that the schematic symbol of zener diodes below 5 or 6 V will be opposite to the usage of an avalanche one above that? (because in the video you still shows the P-N junction like a normal diode would be, for the avalanche style, with the difference being very lightly doped in comparison) Really interesting stuff!!!
@witeshade
6 жыл бұрын
i'm hoping to use some zeners in a tube amp project I'm working on.. I have a microcontroller with a 10bit 8 channel ADC attached to it, and I'm hoping to use a bunch of voltage dividers so I can monitor a bunch of voltages (and currents, by extension) on the B+ line and cathodes and so on. The idea is to divide the 400v and other signals down to 0-5v, and then use a zener on each ADC channel to clamp the voltage so just in case the voltages creep over where they're supposed to, I don't end up putting 6 or 7v into the 5v inputs.
@kanakaraj100
4 жыл бұрын
Hi Alan, you could have shown the temperature co-efficient impact on the IV curve by heating up and cooling down the diodes.
@johnwhitmore2531
6 жыл бұрын
Great video but another use of zener diode you see is uC GPIO pin protection. That case appears to be different. In that case you want minimum current into GPIO but clamp the voltage. Any time I've tried that circuit arrangement the Zener Voltage is not the clamping voltage. 3v3 might be low as a clamping voltage
@blubbspinat9363
6 жыл бұрын
I always wondered why would anyone use a voltage divider and a zener diode instead of just a zener diode for voltage reference. Now i know! Very good video, thanks!
@AlexandreKandalintsev
6 жыл бұрын
I think the most stable zeners are 5.6V and 6.2V (sometimes 6.8V if there is some additional circuitry or another diode in connected reverse for better temperature compensation). They have the smallest impedance in datasheets.
@Nabo00o
4 жыл бұрын
the sharpness difference was striking, when you have an electric spark from a capacitor you get an extremely sharp turn on that can be easily compared to the avalanche effect imo. If you wanted to create a good electronic analogy to a spark gap, an avalanche diode combined with a power transistor should do the job well.
@ohmslaw6856
3 жыл бұрын
I love your videos, you do such a great job at presenting the information. Peace and blessings 🙌
@stringlesswonder
6 жыл бұрын
I always look forward to another edition of your Back To Basics lessons. Thanks Alan, Dave
@philippe5394
6 жыл бұрын
Excellent lesson, well explained. I cans also see you have mastered the tablet!! Thanks Alan
@waynegram8907
2 жыл бұрын
Do a video lesson about precision voltage reference IC chips because they have a zener diode but also they use an IC op amp to compare the voltage. If you look at the datasheets of various precision voltage reference components because they can be used as a voltage regulator. I'm not sure what the capacitance loading has to be before the output pin starts to be unstable
@bondpowers7295
3 жыл бұрын
Excellent explanation of the zener diode thank you very much
@hankcohen3419
6 жыл бұрын
Very helpful. ANd a wonderfully clear explanation.
@simontay4851
5 жыл бұрын
Alalanche diodes literally drop of a cliff as your curve tracer shows.
@chonle9931
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks Alan,next please show us how to make a random noise generator out of them!
@Geek_Chef
6 жыл бұрын
Great video....!! Having been an electrical engineer for the past 30 years, it is still so wonderful to find someone who can teach the basics in a way that interests all levels simultaneously. Just fantastic work indeed.! Having found my way here from Hack-A-Day(best website ever..!).....I am blessed to see this is tutorial #289.....meaning I have found a new source for lunchtime instruction.....Great Job....looking forward to video #500.
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks. I hope you enjoy the rest of my videos just as much.
@jkuebler89
5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for doing these videos you are an excellent teacher! Explained in a clear and concise manner.
@kshitijgurjar7499
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks. Your videos helped in experimental understanding.
@MegaSeppHuber
6 жыл бұрын
great video, great explanation. thank you!
@urugulu1656
5 жыл бұрын
never seen a 200v zener i dont think These are really around
@PapasDino
6 жыл бұрын
Great review Alan...having the curve tracer for display really drives the point home. 73 - Dino KL0S
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks! I plan to do a lot more with the curve tracer. It's really surprising how different a switching diode looks from a schottky diode, from a Ge diode, etc. Plus, makes transistor matching a lot more comprehensive.
@akepatinagaraju8564
2 жыл бұрын
Sir germanium diode about plz
@homemade83
5 жыл бұрын
amazing as usual keep forward please
@naderhumood1199
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you Sir. Terrific keep it up.
@llwonder
3 жыл бұрын
Can you explain how your equipment works that traces the two curves at once? I’m confused on what I’m looking at. You’re tracing the positive voltage and negative voltage lines at the same time, I think I’m lost on what it means to be reversed biased
@w2aew
3 жыл бұрын
The Curve Tracer that I am using applied a sinusoidal voltage to the zener diode. This voltage swings positive then negative and repeats.
@uvindura9079
3 жыл бұрын
U teach like a pro please keep up this work for our sake
@anthonycalia1317
6 жыл бұрын
You do this so well and are a pleasure to listen to.
@superdau
6 жыл бұрын
Is the breakdown of a "normal" diode one of those two effects (avalanche most likely), just that it destroys the diode in the process, or is there a third mechanism for reverse conducting? Could you say that every silicon diode is an avalanche diode, but some can do it only once at a not well defined voltage? ;)
@w2aew
6 жыл бұрын
I believe that the breakdown of "normal" diodes is typically avalanche. There may be other breakdown mechanisms (arc'ing over, etc.). The reason why breakdown *can* be destructive is because often there isn't anything that limits the current.
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