Zenern.1
/ˈziːnə/, /ˈzɛnə/, U.S. /ˈzinər/, /ˈzɛnər/ attributive. Designating a set of cards designed for use in parapsychology experiments, the symbols used on these cards, or a test conducted using them.Zener cards were developed as a means of investigating the possibility of extrasensory perception. A set consists of 25 cards, each showing one of five simple symbols, the likelihood of a subject guessing the symbol correctly by chance being one in five for each card.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > foresight, foreknowledge > prediction, foretelling > divination by symbols, letters, figures, etc. > [adjective] > relating to cards
Zener1934
1934 J. B. Rhine Extra-sensory Perception iv. 50 We have once since substituted a ‘heart’ for the ‘waves’ figure but later returned to the latter. I shall hereinafter call these cards the ‘Zener cards’.
1941 Proc. Soc. Psychical Res. 1940–1 46 153 The guesser at Zener cards all unwittingly was guessing correctly..a card which was one or two places earlier or later in the sequence.
1951 Proc. Soc. Psychical Res. 49 151 On each letter box was pinned one of the five Zener symbols.
1978 D. Bloodworth Crosstalk xiv. 119 There are a dozen ways of beating the odds with the Zener packs they use for card-guessing tests.
2015 S. Ertel in D. Broderick & B. Goertzel Evid. for Psi 154 Results of the online Zener test were automatically calculated by a program from an unknown internet programmer.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
Zenern.2
/ˈziːnə/, /ˈzɛnə/, U.S. /ˈzinər/, /ˈzɛnər/ Electronics.
I. Compounds.
1. Zener effect n. [originally after Italian effetto Zener (1948 in the paper referred to in quot. 1949)] the reduction in electrical resistance across the p–n junction of a semiconductor diode under a reverse voltage that occurs as a result of the quantum tunnelling of valence electrons to the conduction band, allowing substantial current to flow in the reverse direction.The Zener effect occurs at a well-defined voltage threshold. This is in contrast with the Avalanche effect, which takes place at a higher reverse voltage, with a less precipitous change in resistance.
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the world > matter > physics > solid state physics > semiconductivity > semiconductor diode > [noun] > Zener effect or breakdown
Zener effect1949
Zener breakdown1952
1949 Jrnl. Acoustical Soc. Amer. 21 447/2 L'Effetto Zener nei Metalli (The Zener Effect in Metals).
1957 W. C. Dunlap Introd. Semiconductors viii. 168 Internal field emission, often called Zener effect because of the early theoretical contributions made to the subject by C. Zener,..is analogous to field emission from metals.
1962 J. H. Simpson & R. S. Richards Physical Princ. Junction Transistors iv. 69 Lower voltage units usually have negative temperature coefficients indicating the existence of Zener effect. In such devices the transition region is apparently too thin to allow appreciable carrier multiplication to take place and Zener breakdown occurs before the critical avalanche condition has been reached.
2009 U.S. Patent 7,638,847 B1 3 The rapid rise in current is due to the Zener effect.
2. Zener breakdown n. the reduction in electrical resistance across the p–n junction of a semiconductor diode under a reverse voltage that occurs as a result of the quantum tunnelling of valence electrons to the conduction band, allowing substantial current to flow in the reverse direction; = Zener effect n. at sense 1.
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the world > matter > physics > solid state physics > semiconductivity > semiconductor diode > [noun] > Zener effect or breakdown
Zener effect1949
Zener breakdown1952
1952 J. Bragg et al. in Digest Lit. Dielectrics 1951 15 iii. 38 Actually observed is 2.2 × 105 volts/cm, indicating that in other systems Zener breakdown may be more likely than heretofore believed.
1981 L. Nashelsky & R. L. Boylestad Devices ii. 29 As Vz [sc. the Zener voltage] decreases to very low levels, such as −5V, another mechanism, called Zener breakdown, will contribute to the sharp change in the characteristic.
2010 P. R. Gray et al. Anal. & Design Analog Integrated Circuits (ed. 5) i. 8 Zener breakdown occurs only in very heavily doped junctions.
3. Zener voltage n. (in a Zener diode) the reverse voltage at which the Zener effect occurs and current begins to flow in the reverse direction.
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the world > matter > physics > solid state physics > semiconductivity > semiconductor diode > [noun] > Zener effect or breakdown > voltage required for
breakdown voltage1915
Zener voltage1952
1952 Proc. IRE 40 1349/2 The Zener voltage for this junction was 21·5 volts.
1969 J. J. Sparkes Transistor Switching i. 13 At Zener voltages of about 6V the slope resistance of the diode characteristic is minimal.
1980 C. F. G. Delaney Electronics for Physicist ix. 215 The Zener voltage..is a function of the resistivity (that is, of the doping) of the materials from which the diode is constructed.
2008 I. Hickman in D. Ashby et al. Circuit Design ii. 215 When the voltage reaches the nominal Zener voltage, the diode current increases rapidly.
4. Zener diode n. a type of semiconductor diode used for voltage regulation, in which, at a well-defined reverse voltage, the electrical resistance drops substantially, allowing a large current to flow in the reverse direction without a significant further increase in voltage.A Zener diode has a p–n junction that is doped in such a way as to maximize the Zener effect.
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the world > matter > physics > solid state physics > semiconductivity > semiconductor diode > [noun]
crystal rectifier1907
diode1919
varistor1937
photodiode1945
crystal diode1946
junction rectifier1951
junction diode1952
Zener diode1952
Zener1958
tunnel diode1959
light-emitting diode1962
Shockley diode1962
LED1968
Schottky diode1968
OLED1996
1952 Proc. IRE 40 1311/1 Zener diodes is the name applied to p-n junctions which exhibit such [sc. field-generated] currents.
1957 R. F. Shea et al. Transistor Circuit Engin. iii. 62 One of the simplest methods of obtaining such a [stable collector-voltage] supply is with the aid of a diode biased into breakdown in the reverse direction (so-called Zener diode).
1975 Gramophone Aug. 384/3 Stabilisation of the feedback input stages is achieved with a zener diode.
1981 J. C. Sprott Introd. Mod. Electronics vi. 136 In the forward direction a Zener diode behaves like any other diode.
2011 O. Bishop Electronics: First Course (ed. 3) 74/1 Zener diodes are used to regulate the output of power supply circuits.
II. Simple uses.
5. A Zener diode.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > solid state physics > semiconductivity > semiconductor diode > [noun]
crystal rectifier1907
diode1919
varistor1937
photodiode1945
crystal diode1946
junction rectifier1951
junction diode1952
Zener diode1952
Zener1958
tunnel diode1959
light-emitting diode1962
Shockley diode1962
LED1968
Schottky diode1968
OLED1996
1958 Electronic Design 23 July 30/2 Zeners are often placed in series for higher voltage operation.
1976 Pract. Electronics Oct. 791/1 To provide any given voltage, it is only necessary to select a Zener having a voltage exceeding the required voltage by 0·7 volts.
2012 P. Wilson Circuit Designer's Compan. (ed. 3) ix. 388 One zener alone would not offer the required level of reliability.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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