Q 12-14-074JEE MainJEE Main 2024 (9 Apr, Shift 2)Medium
The $I$–$V$ characteristic of an electronic device is shown in the figure. The device is:
Answer: (B) a zener diode which can be used as a voltage regulator
The curve passes through the origin and shows only a tiny reverse current (microampere scale) until, at a particular reverse voltage, the current rises sharply while the voltage stays nearly constant. This reverse breakdown is the working region of a Zener diode, which is used as a voltage regulator.
A solar cell's characteristic would instead lie in the fourth quadrant, with a short-circuit current at $V = 0$ and no breakdown region.
Solution by Sreeraj P, M.Sc Physics