15 V Zener, 500 mW — active production
The 1N6004C is a 15 V Zener diode from Microchip Technology, rated for 500 mW continuous power dissipation in the DO-35 axial package. The ±2% tolerance on the nominal Zener voltage makes it suitable for voltage reference circuits where tighter regulation than the standard ±5% grade is needed without moving to a higher-cost precision reference.
Junction temperature and leakage floor
At 125°C junction, the reverse leakage at 11 V (100 nA max at 25°C) will increase by roughly an order of magnitude per the Zener diode temperature characteristic — budget this into high-impedance bias networks that share the same supply rail. Maximum Zener impedance (Zzt) is 32 Ohms. This dynamic resistance at the test current determines the regulation accuracy: a 1 mA change in bias current shifts the output voltage by up to 32 mV. For a 15 V rail that needs ±1% regulation, the bias current variation must stay under 4.7 mA.
DO-35 axial — through-hole integration
Housed in the DO-204AH (DO-35) axial-lead package, the 1N6004C is intended for through-hole mounting — either soldered into a PCB or wired point-to-point in a terminal-block assembly. The bulk packaging means the diodes ship loose in a bag or tube, not taped and reeled, so pick-and-place requires manual or tube-fed insertion. The 500 mW power rating is derated above 25°C ambient per the standard DO-35 thermal resistance curve.