- #1
danago
Gold Member
- 1,123
- 4
Heya.
I might be completely overlooking something here, but is a zener diode pretty much a normal rectifier diode used backwards? For a rectifier diode to conduct, the voltage across it must be greater than some forward voltage value, but the idea behind the zener diode seems to be exactly the same, but instead of utilizing the forward voltage value, it uses the breakdown voltage value?
I know zener diodes are specifically designed to be operated in reverse-bias so they don't get damaged, but other than that, are they pretty much a 'backwards' rectifier diode? Or have i completely overlooked something?
Thanks in advance,
Dan/
I might be completely overlooking something here, but is a zener diode pretty much a normal rectifier diode used backwards? For a rectifier diode to conduct, the voltage across it must be greater than some forward voltage value, but the idea behind the zener diode seems to be exactly the same, but instead of utilizing the forward voltage value, it uses the breakdown voltage value?
I know zener diodes are specifically designed to be operated in reverse-bias so they don't get damaged, but other than that, are they pretty much a 'backwards' rectifier diode? Or have i completely overlooked something?
Thanks in advance,
Dan/