International Islamic University Islamabad

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT DESIGN-I LAB

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode

Name of Student: ……………………………………

Registration No.: ……………………………………..

Date of Experiment: …………………………………

Submitted To: ………………………………………...

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 1

Objectives:
 To become familiar with the characteristics light emitting diode (LED).
 To become familiar with the characteristics and voltage regulations of zener Diode.
Equipment Required:
 DMM
 DC Power Supply = +12V (fixed); +24V (variable);
 Resistors: 100-Ω [Qty =1]; 220-Ω [Qty =1]; 330-Ω [Qty =1];
1-kΩ [Qty =2]; 2.2-kΩ [Qty =1]; 4.7-kΩ [Qty =1];
 Silicon Diode: 1N4007 [Qty =1];
 Zener Diode: 9V [Qty =1];
 LED: Red or Green [Qty =1];
 Connecting wires
Theory:
The light emitting diode (LED) is, as the name implies, a diode that will give off visible
light when sufficiently energized. In forward-biased P-N junction there is a recombination of
holes and electrons close to the junction. This recombination requires that the energy possessed
by unbound free electrons be transferred to another state. In LED materials, such as Gallium
Arsenide Phosphide (GaAsP) or Gallium Phosphide (GaP), photons of light energy are emitted in
sufficient numbers to create a visible light source- a process referred to as electroluminescence.
For every LED, there is a distinct forward voltage and current that will result in bright, clear
light, whether it might be red, yellow or green. a LED will be plotted and the firing levels of
voltage and current will be determined.
The zener diode is a P-N junction device, designed to take full advantage of the zener
breakdown region. Once the reverse–bias potential reaches the zener region, a zener diode is
assumed to have a fixed terminal voltage with some internal resistance. The internal resistance is
the source of the variation in the zener voltage.
The state of ae zener diode can usually be determined simply by replacing the zener
diode with an open circuit and calculating the voltage across the resulting open circuit. If the
open circuit voltage equals or exceeds the zener potential, the zener diode will be in ON state and
the zener diode can be replaced by a DC supply equal to the zener potential even though the
open-circuit voltage may be greater than the zener potential.

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 2

Procedure:
Part 1: LED Characteristics
a. Construct a circuit of Figure 6.1. Initially, set the supply voltage (E) to 0V and record the
measured value of resistor R.

Figure 6.1
R (measured) =_____________
b. Increase the supply voltage (E), until first light is noticed. Record the value of VD and VR at
this instant using DMM. Record the corresponding level of ID using measured value of
resistance (R).
VD (measured) =_____________
VR (measured) =_____________
𝐕𝐑
ID (measured) = =_____________
𝐑
c. Continue to increase the supply voltage (E) until good brightness is obtained. Record the
value of VR and VD. Record the corresponding level of ID using measured value of resistance
(R).
VD (measured) =_____________
VR (measured) =_____________
𝐕𝐑
ID (measured) = =_____________
𝐑
d. Set the supply voltage (E) to the levels appearing in Table 6.1 and record the measured

values of both VD and VR. Record the corresponding level of ID using measured value of

resistance (R) and record it in Table 6.1.

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 3

 Table 6.1

E (Volts) 0V 2V 4V 6V 8V 10V 12V 14V 16V 18V 20V 22V 24V

VD (Volts)
VR (Volts)
ID = VR/R (mA)

e. Using the data of Table 6.1, sketch the curve of VD vs. ID on the graph paper given in Figure
6.2.

Figure 6.2
f. Construct the circuit of Figure 6.3. Be sure that both diodes are connected properly and
record the measured resistance value.

Figure 6.3
R (measured) =_____________

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 4

g. Do you expect the LED to burn brightly? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

h. Energize the network of Figure 6.3 and verify your connection. Is it verified?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

i. Reverse the silicon diode of Figure 6.3 and record your observations.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Part 2: Zener Diode Characteristics

a. Construct a circuit of Figure 6.4. Initially, set the supply voltage (E) to 0V and record the
measured value of resistor R.

Figure 6.4
R (measured) =_____________

b. Set the supply voltage (E) to the levels appearing in Table 6.2 and measure both VZ & VR.
Record the values of VZ and VR in Table 6.2. You may have to use the milli-volt range of
your DMM for the lower values of VZ and VR. Calculate the corresponding level of zener
current (IZ) using IZ = VR/R (use the measured resistance value) and record it in Table 6.2.

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 5

 Table 6.2

E (Volts) 0V 2V 4V 6V 8V 10V 12V 14V 16V 18V 20V 22V 24V

VZ (Volts)
VR (Volts)
IZ = VR/R (mA)

c. This step will develop the characteristics curve for the zener diode. Since the zener region is
the third quadrant of a complete diode characteristics curve, so place a minus sign with each
VZ and IZ. With this convention in mind, sketch the curve of VZ vs. IZ on the graph paper of
Figure 6.5 using the data of Table 6.2.

Figure 6.5
d. For the range of measureable current IZ in the linear region that drops from VZ axis, what is
the average value of VZ (use straight line approximation)?
VZ (approximated) = ____________
e. For the range of the measureable current IZ in the linear region that drops from VZ axis,
estimate the average resistance of the zener diode using rav = ∆VZ/∆IZ; where ∆VZ is the
change in zener voltage for the corresponding change in zener current (∆IZ). If necessary, use
the data of Table 6.2.
RZ (measured) = ___________

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 6

f. Using the results of steps 2(d) and 2(e), establish the zener diode equivalent circuit of Figure

6.6 for the “ON” linear region. That is, insert the value of RZ and VZ.

Figure 6.6
RZ (measured) = _____________
VZ (measured) = _____________

Part 3: Zener Diode Regulation

a. Construct the network of Figure 6.7. Record the measured value of each resistor.

Figure 6.7
R (measured) =_____________
RL (measured) =_____________
b. Determine whether the zener diode of Figure 6.7 is in the ON state (operating in the zener
break down region) or not. Consider the measured values of resistors and VZ as recorded in
step 2(d). Ignore the effects of RZ in your calculations. Obtain the theoretical values of VL,
VR, IL, IR and IZ.
VL (calculated) = _____________
VR (calculated) = _____________
𝐕𝐋
IL (calculated) = =_____________
𝐑𝐋

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 7

 𝐕𝐑
IR (calculated) = =_____________
𝐑
IZ (calculated) = IR – IL = _____________
c. Energize the network of Figure 6.7 and measure VL & VR. Using these values, find the
measured levels of IR, IL and IZ.
VL (measured) = _____________
VR (measured) = _____________
𝐕𝐋
IL (measured) = =_____________
𝐑𝐋
𝐕𝐑
IR (measured) = =_____________
𝐑
IZ (measured) = IR – IL = _____________
d. How do the results of step 3(b) and 3(c) compare?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
e. Change RL to 4.7-kΩ and repeat step 3(b).
VL (calculated) = _____________
VR (calculated) = _____________
𝐕𝐋
IL (calculated) = =_____________
𝐑𝐋
𝐕𝐑
IR (calculated) = =_____________
𝐑
IZ (calculated) = IR – IL = _____________
f. Energize the network of Figure 6.7 with RL = 4.7-kΩ and measure VL & VR. Using these
values, find the measured levels of IR, IL and IZ.
VL (measured) = _____________
VR (measured) = _____________
𝐕𝐋
IL (measured) = =_____________
𝐑𝐋
𝐕𝐑
IR (measured) = =_____________
𝐑
IZ (measured) = IR – IL = _____________
g. How do the results of step 3(e) and 3(f) compare?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 8

h. Determine the minimum value of RL required to ensure that the zener diode is in ON state.
𝑅𝐿(𝑚𝑖𝑛)
𝑉𝐿 = ∗𝐸
𝑅 + 𝑅𝐿(𝑚𝑖𝑛)
RL (min) (calculated) = ____________

Part 4: LED - Zener Diode Combination

a. In this part of the experiment, we will determine the minimum supply voltage (E) necessary
to turn ON the zener diode and LED with good brightness level.

Figure 6.8
b. Refer to step 1(c), and record the level of VD and ID that resulted in a good brightness of
LED.
VD = ___________
ID = ___________
c. Refer to step 2(d), and record the level of VZ for your zener diode.
VZ = ___________
d. Using the above data, determine the necessary voltage to turn ON both the LED and zener
diode. That is, determine the required voltage from point a to b.
Vab (calculated) = VD + VZ = ___________
e. Using the result of step 4(d), calculate the voltage VL and resulting current IL using
theoretical value of RL.
VL (calculated) = Vab (calculated) = ____________
𝐕𝐋
IL (calculated) = = ____________
𝐑𝐋

f. Determine IZ using results of step 4(b).

IZ = ID (calculated) = ____________

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 9

g. Calculate IR using results of step 4(e) and 4(f).
IR (calculated) = IL + IZ = ____________
h. Calculate the voltage VR using Ohm’s law.
VR (calculated) = IR.R = ____________

i. Using results of step 4(e) and 4(h), find the supply voltage (E) to turn ON the zener diode
and establish good brightness of LED.
E (calculated) = VL + VR = ____________
j. Energize the circuit of Figure 6.8 and increase the supply voltage (E = 0 ~ 24V) until the
LED provide good brightness. Record the required level of E.
E (measured) = ____________
k. How does the supply voltage calculated in step 4(i) compare with the measured value of step
4(j)?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
l. Now, measure and record the values of VD and VZ.
VD (measured) = ____________
VZ (measured) = ____________
m. How does the measured value of VD and VZ compare with the level recorded in 1(c) and 2(d)
respectively?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Experiment No. 6: Characteristics of Light Emitting and Zener Diode Page 10