Which of the following is used for regulated electric supply?
(1) Zener diode
(2) Junction diode
(3) Gun diode
(4) Tunnel diode
Answer: (1) The Zener diode is like a general-purpose signal diode. When based in the forward direction it behaves just like a normal signal diode, but when a reverse voltage is applied to it, the voltage remains constant for a wide range of currents and hence widely used for regulated electric supply. The device was named after Clarence Zener, who discovered this electrical property. Many diodes described as “Zener” diodes rely instead on avalanche breakdown as the mechanism. Common applications include providing a reference voltage for voltage regulators or protecting other semiconductor devices from momentary voltage pulses. Zener diodes are widely used as voltage references and as shunt regulators to regulate the voltage across small circuits.
