In this episode, we explore the Zener diode and the differences between Zener and avalanche action. Both types of Zener diodes are analyzed on a makeshift curve tracer, while we discuss briefly the differences between quantum tunneling and the avalanche effect. Then we go through a basic example of using the Zener as a voltage reference.
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Absolutely. You can use zeners back to back, selecting the appropriate voltage to clip the signal at whatever voltage needed. Good for squaring off an AC signal for zero-crossing detector, or for frequency…