Experiment in Electronics

ECE 591L – EXP 4: DC Characteristics of Thyristors and other Switching Devices
OBJECTIVE: After performing the experiment, the student should be able to:
- Construct an experimental circuit of Thyristors on an Electronic Simulator Software.
- Measure the minimum trigger voltage of each device.
- Trace the characteristic curve using the gathered data.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND:
A silicon-controlled rectifier or semiconductor controlled rectifier is a four-layer solid-state current-controlling
device. SCRs are unidirectional devices (i.e. can conduct current only in one direction) as opposed to TRIACs,
which are bidirectional (i.e. charge carriers can flow through them in either direction). SCRs can be triggered
normally only by a positive current going into the gate as opposed to TRIACs, which can be triggered normally by
either a positive or a negative current applied to its gate electrode.
Fig 1: (a) Construction and Symbol, (b) Two-transistor Equivalent Circuit
The SCR is a four-layer, three-junction and a three-terminal device and is shown in Fig 1 (a). The end P-region is
the anode, the end N-region is the cathode and the inner P-region is the gate. The anode to cathode is
connected in series with the load circuit. Essentially the device is a switch. Ideally it remains off (voltage blocking
state), or appears to have an infinite impedance until both the anode and gate terminals have suitable positive
voltages with respect to the cathode terminal. The thyristor then switches on and current flows and continues to
conduct without further gate signals. Ideally the thyristor has zero impedance in conduction state. For switching
off or reverting to the blocking state, there must be no gate signal and the anode current must be reduced to
zero. Current can flow only in one direction.
Fig 2: SCR Characteristic Curve
The TRIAC is a three-terminal semiconductor switching device that is used for controlling current flow in a
circuit. It is one of the most important members of the thyristor family; it is a bidirectional device that can pass
the current in both forward and reverse direction, which means that they can conduct in both the conditions of
the gate signal, positive and negative. A TRIACs can be formed by connecting two equivalent SCRs in inverse
parallel to one another and the gates of the two SCR are connected together to form a single gate.
Fig 3: TRIAC
TRIAC can go to conduction state if the applied voltage is equal to the breakdown voltage, but the most
preferred way of turning on a TRIAC is by providing a gate pulse, either positive or negative. If the gate current is
high, a very small amount of voltage is enough to turn on the TRIAC.
Fig 4: TRIAC Characteristic Curve
UJT stands for UniJunction Transistor. It is a three terminal semiconductor switching device. The Unijunction
Transistor is a simple device that consists of a bar of n-type silicon material with a non-rectifying contact at
either end (base 1 and base 2), and with a rectifying contact (emitter) alloyed into the bar part way along its
length, to form the only junction within the device (hence the name ‘Unijunction’).
Fig 5: UJT Construction and Symbol
The simplified equivalent circuit (at Figure 6 below) shows that N-type channel consists of two resistors RB2 and
RB1 in series with an equivalent diode, D representing the PN junction. The emitter PN junction is fixed along the
ohmic channel during its manufacturing process.
Fig 6: UJT Equivalent Circuit
A voltage divider network is formed by the series resistances RB2 and RB1. When a voltage is applied across the
semiconductor device, the potential will be in proportion to the position of base points along the channel.
The Emitter (E) will act as input when employed in a circuit, as the terminal B1 will be grounded. The terminal B2
will be positive biased to B1, when a voltage (VBB) applied across the terminals B1 and B2. When the emitter
input is zero, the voltage across resistance RB1 of the voltage divider circuit is calculated by
Fig 7: UJT Characteristic Curve
MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT:

- DC Power Source
- Oscilloscope
- SCR
- TRIAC
- UJT
- Resistors
- Multitester
PROCEDURES:
PART 1: SCR
1. Construct the circuit in the figure shown below:
2. Start with the lowest setting in the potentiometer R4. Gradually increase the setting until the SCR
conducts.
3. Record the results in Table 1.
4. Disconnect the gate terminal of the SCR and vary the amount of anode voltage. (start from 0V)
5. Measure the value of Vo until the SCR conducts. Record this voltage in Table 2.
PART 2: TRIAC
1. Construct the circuit shown below:
2. Gradually increase the input voltage to the circuit until the TRIAC conducts.
3. Measure the voltmeter and ammeter readings and record this to Table 3.
4. Disconnect the gate terminal and gradually increase the input voltage until the TRIAC conducts.
Record your findings in Table 4.
PART 3: UJT
1. Construct the circuit shown below:
2. Starting from the lowest setting, increase the potentiometer until the UJT fires (conducts).
3. Measure the values of IE and VE for each case.
4. Record the results in Table 5.
QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS:
1. Describe the parts of the characteristic curve of an SCR. Define key terms such as: forward blocking
region, holding current, forward conduction region and reverse blocking region.
- SCR stands for Silicon controlled rectifier. In forward blocking state of a SCR, anode to
cathode voltage is less than the forward breakover voltage such that SCR will not allow to
flow current through it rather than leakage current. And its block the whole forward voltage
applied to it.
2. Describe the methods on turning OFF an SCR.
- To turn the SCR off, a positive pulse is applied to the base of Q, turning it on. The anode
current is diverted to the transistor. When the anode current falls below the holding
current, the SCR turns off. The transistor is held on just long enough to turn off the SCR.
3. Name some applications of thyristors. Show circuits and a short description.
1. Phase-Controlled Thyristor (SCR)

Phase-controlled thyristor also known as a Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) is turned on by
applying the gate current, when it is in forward bias. it does not have a turn-off capability.
So, it turns off when the anode current reaches zero.
2. Bidirectional Phase-Controlled Thyristor (BCT)

BCT uses two thyristors (SCR) in an anti-parallel configuration in a single device. It has two
separate gate terminals; one for each thyristor. One of the gate terminals turns on the
current in forward direction. & The other gate terminal turns on the current flow in reverse.
3. Reverse-Conducting Thyristor (RCT)
RCT can conduct in reverse direction without any control input. It’s made of an SCR with a
diode in an antiparallel configuration for the reverse conduction of the reactive load
currents. It is used in applications where reverse blocking is not necessary. However, it has
low reverse voltage rating than its forward voltage rating. Because of the reverses current
flow, it allows the RCT to drain its carriers from its junction relatively fast, providing much
fast-switching speed.
CONCLUSION:
- We have concluded that the students can now create a circuit that consists of thyristors and
use them in variety of ways from switching on and off and etc. the students also are now
capable of measuring the minimum trigger voltage of each device. I can say that this
experiment is a success given that we have completed the objectives and followed the
procedure exactly.

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ECE 591L – EXP 4: DC Characteristics of Thyristors and other Switching Devices

Fig 1: (a) Construction and Symbol, (b) Two-transistor Equivalent Circuit

Fig 5: UJT Construction and Symbol

Fig 7: UJT Characteristic Curve

MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT:

2. Describe the methods on turning OFF an SCR.

3. Name some applications of thyristors. Show circuits and a short description.

1. Phase-Controlled Thyristor (SCR)

2. Bidirectional Phase-Controlled Thyristor (BCT)

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