THYRISTORS & OTHER

DEVICES
Thyristors are a class of semiconductor devices characterized by 4-
layers of alternating p- and n-material. Four-layer devices acts a
either open or closed switches, for this reason, they are most
frequently used in control applications

Some thyristors and their symbols are:
Introduction
Shockley diode
silicon-controlled rectifier
Introduction continue
They stay on once they are triggered, and will go off only
if current is too low or when triggered off.
Applications: lamp dimmers, motor speed controls,
ignition systems, charging circuits, etc.
The 4-layer diode (or Shockley diode) is a type of
thyristor that acts something like an ordinary diode but
conducts in the forward direction only after a certain
anode to cathode voltage called the forward-
breakover voltage is reached..
It does not conduct when it is reverse-biased.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
Thyristors have low on-state
conduction losses
Higher power handling capability
than transistor
High blocking voltage rating
Worse switching performances than
transistors.
Thyristor heating due to current
flowing through them represents
additional power losses in the
distribution system
The thyristor system may also have a
higher equipment cost
The Basic Four Layer Device
The 4-layer diode (or Shockley diode) is a type of thyristor that acts
something like an ordinary diode but conducts in the forward direction only
after a certain anode to cathode voltage called the forward-breakover voltage is
reached.
The 4-layer diode has two leads, labeled the anode (A) and the cathode
(K). The symbol reminds you that it acts like a diode. It does not conduct
when it is reverse-biased.
Equivalent circuit
The Basic Four Layer Device
It will not conduct when
reverse biased and will not
conduct when forward biased
until the forward breakover
voltage (V
BRF
) is reached. It
will continue to conduct as long
as the holding current (I
H
) is
maintained.
Forward-
conduction
region
Forward-blocking
region
Normal diode
characteristics
When FB, current is
exponential function
of voltage
Equivalent Circuits
(4 Layers diode)
The concept of 4-layer devices is
usually shown as an equivalent
circuit of a pnp and an npn
transistor. Ideally, these devices
would not conduct, but when
forward biased, if there is sufficient
leakage current in the upper pnp
device, it can acts as base current
to the lower npn device causing it
to conduct and bringing both
transistors into saturation.

Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR)

SCR is another four-layer pnpn device.
Has 3 terminals: anode, cathode, and gate.
In off state, it has a very high resistance.
In on state, there is a small on (forward)
resistance.
Applications: motor controls, time-delay
circuits, heater controls, phase controls, etc.
The Silicon-Controlled Rectifier
The silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) is a four layer device with three
terminals, the anode, cathode, and gate.
Equivalent Circuit
Silicon-Controlled Rectifier
(SCR)
The SCR had its roots in the 4-layer diode. By adding a gate connection, the
SCR could be triggered into conduction. This improvement made a much more
useful device than the 4-layer diode.

The SCR can be turned on by exceeding the forward breakover voltage or by
gate current. Notice that the gate current controls the amount of forward
breakover voltage required for turning it on.
Once an SCR is switched on, it
remains latched on, even when
the gate signal is removed.
Holding current (I
H
) is the
minimum required current from
anode to cathode
Reverse breakdown voltage is the
maximum reverse bias voltage for
the SCR
Operation

To switch on an SCR:

Forward bias the
anode-cathode
terminals (V
F
)
AND
Apply sufficient gate
voltage (V
gate
) and
gate current (I
GT
)
11
The Silicon-Controlled Rectifier
Operation (Contd)

To switch off an SCR:

Remove the power source
the anode and cathode
terminals

OR

Reverse bias the anode and
cathode terminals
An SCR cannot be switched off by
simply removing the gate voltage.
Commutation circuitry can be used for satisfying either
of the conditions for switching off an SCR.
12
The Silicon-Controlled Rectifier
Another applications
Another application for
SCRs is in crowbar circuits
The purpose of a crowbar
circuit is to shut down a
power supply in case of
over-voltage.
Once triggered, the SCR
latches on.
The SCR can handle a large
current, which causes the
fuse (or circuit breaker) to
open.
SCSSilicon-Controlled Switch
An SCS is like an SCR, except that it has
two gates: a cathode gate and an anode
gate.
Operation

Either gate can fire the SCS
A positive pulse or voltage on the
cathode gate
A negative pulse or voltage on the anode
gate

Either gate can switch off the SCS
A negative pulse or voltage on the
Cathode gate
A positive pulse or voltage on the anode
gate
Note: The anode gate requires higher voltages than the cathode
gate.
14
The Diac and Triac
The diac and triac unlike the SCR will conduct in both directions making it
ideal for ac applications. The diac turns on when the breakover voltage is
reached in either direction.
The Diac and Triac
The triac is basically a diac with a gate terminal. The triac can
be turned by a pulse at the gate.
The Diac and Triac
In this basic triac phase
control circuit R
1

controls the trigger
point at which the triac
turns on for each half of
the cycle. The off time
is called the delay
angle and the on time
is called the conduction
angle.
Unijunction Transistor (UJT)
The Unijunction Transistor
(UJT)
The UJT has one pn junction and is used mainly as a triggering device
in thyristor circuits and can also be used in oscillator circuits. The
symbol is similar to a JFET. Note the angle of the emtter.The other
terminals are called base 1 and base 2. The characteristics are quite
different than any other transistor.
The Unijunction Transistor
(UJT)
The resistive equivalent circuit of a UJT shown makes it easier to
understand its operation. The emitter current controls the value of r
B1
inversely. The total resistance or interbase resistance (r
BB
) equals the sum
of r
B1
and r
B2.
The standoff ratio () is the ratio r
B1
/

r
BB.
The Programmable Unijunction
Transistor (PUT)
Although it has the same name as a UJT the programmable unijunction
transistors structure is not the same. It is actually more similar to an
SCR. The anode to gate voltage is used to turn it off and on.
The Programmable Unijunction
Transistor (PUT)
The PUT can be programmed to turn on at a certain voltage by an
external voltage divider. This yields a curve similar to a UJT therefore it
can used in oscillator circuits like the UJT.