Avalanche BD The minority carriers , under reverse biased conditions flowing through the junctions acquires a kinetic energy

which increases with the increases in reverse voltage. At a sufficiently high reverse voltage , the kinetic energy of minority carriers becomes so large that they knock out electrons from the covalents bonds os the semiconductor material. As a result of collisions,the liberated electrons in turn liberate move electrons and the current becomes very large leading the breakdown of the crystal structure itself. Zener BD Under very high reverse voltage, the depletion region expands and the potential barries increases leading to a very high electric field acroos the junction. The electric field will break down some some of the cavalents bonds of the semiconductor reverse current. The breakdown occurs at a particular and constant value of reverse voltage called the breakdown voltage.