1N4761A-TAP

1N4761A-TAP Application Field and Working Principle

1N4761A-TAP is a type of zener diode, which is used in a variety of applications ranging from power and energy management to circuit protection and sensing. It offers superior performance and features compared to other diode devices, including a low on-state voltage drop and low total harmonic distortion.

The 1N4761A-TAP zener diode has a specified maximum forward voltage drops of 1.2V and a maximum reverse break down voltage of 5.8V. It has a power rating of 3.6W. The diode has a fast reverse recovery time and can handle surge currents as high as 30A. The 1N4761A-TAP also incorporates an internal temperature sensor to offer protection from thermal runaway.

Working Principle

A zener diode is a type of diode which uses voltage breakdown phenomenon for operation. It is made up of a heavily doped p-type semiconductor and n-type semiconductor materials formed into a junction. When forward biase is applied to the diode, current flows from the anode to the cathode as with a standard diode. When the voltage applied to the diode exceeds the breakdown voltage of the diode, then reverse biasing will cause the current to flow from the cathode to the anode.

This reverse current flow is limited by the zener voltage and the zener impedance. When the zener voltage and zener impedance are properly matched, then the zener diode can be set as a limit for the voltage across the device. This means that the output voltage of the device does not excessively increase or decrease even if the input voltage changes. It is this ability of the diode to protect against voltage fluctuations which makes it so useful in a variety of applications.

Applications

The 1N4761A-TAPD can be used in various applications, including energy management and circuit protection. It can be used as a voltage reference in precision electronics, battery chargers and power supplies, as well as a temperature sensor in thermally protected devices. It is also used as a temperature compensator in temperature sensitive analog circuit components and as a surge limiter in overvoltage protection circuits.

The 1N4761A-TAPD can also be used in automotive applications such as a battery monitoring circuit. It can also be used to sense low voltage levels in automobile alternators, providing a second break down voltage for the circuit.