What is the difference between a normal diode and a Zener diode?

 When a diode is forward biased, or has voltage applied in the forward direction, the current can only flow from its anode (positive terminal) to its cathode (negative terminal).Except for a tiny leakage current, when reverse biased (voltage applied in the opposite direction), it virtually completely stops current flow.

A Zener diode, on the other hand, is a special type of diode designed to operate reliably in the reverse breakdown region. This means that when it is reverse biased and the voltage across it exceeds a certain threshold (known as the Zener voltage), it allows the current to flow in the reverse direction, effectively regulating the voltage across it. Zener diodes find common use in electronic circuits for voltage regulation and overvoltage protection.

So, while both types of diodes have similar construction, they differ in their intended operating characteristics. People primarily use normal diodes for rectification (converting AC to DC) and blocking current in one direction, while they use Zener diodes for voltage regulation and maintaining a stable voltage across a circuit.

What are Zener diodes used for?

In electrical circuits, zener diodes are mostly utilized for voltage regulation and overvoltage protection. The following are some typical uses for Zener diodes:

Voltage Regulation: Zener diodes can maintain a constant voltage across their terminals, even when the current through them varies. This property makes them useful for stabilizing power supply voltages in electronic circuits.

Engineers often employ Zener diodes as voltage references in circuits where a stable reference voltage is required, such as in analog and digital systems.

Overvoltage Protection: Zener diodes can be used to protect sensitive components in a circuit from excessive voltage spikes. When the voltage across the Zener diode exceeds its breakdown voltage (Zener voltage), it conducts and limits the voltage to a safe level, preventing damage to the rest of the circuit.

Clipping and clamping circuits use Zener diodes to limit or control voltage levels. In clipping circuits, they ensure that the output voltage does not exceed a certain level. In clamping circuits, they shift the waveform by a fixed voltage level.

Voltage Transient Suppression: Transient voltage suppression (TVS) circuits use Zener diodes to protect sensitive electronic devices from voltage transients caused by events such as lightning strikes, electromagnetic interference, or switching of inductive loads.normal diodes