Question

In a Zener diode large reverse current is due to

A. collision of holes and electrons
B. lower resistance in reverse biased region
C. presence of impurities
D. breaking of the covalent bonds

Answer 1

In a Zener diode, the large reverse current is primarily due to the breaking of covalent bonds, leading to the generation of additional electron-hole pairs at the breakdown voltage.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a Zener diode, a large reverse current is primarily due to the breaking of covalent bonds. When a Zener diode is reverse-biased, it reaches a point known as the breakdown voltage, at which the electric field within the depletion region becomes strong enough to pull electrons from their atomic structure, leading to the generation of additional electron-hole pairs. The large reverse current in a Zener diode is due to the breaking of the covalent bonds. This phenomenon, known as Zener breakdown, results in a large increase in current.