Electronic Devices
Chapter 9: Thyristors
Thyristors
Thyristors are a class of semiconductor devices characterized by 4-layers of alternating
p- and n-material. Four-layer devices act as either open or closed switches; for this
reason, they are most frequently used in control applications such as lamp dimmers,
motor speed controls, ignition systems, charging circuits, etc. Thyristors include
Shockley diode, silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), diac and triac. They stay on once
they are triggered, and will go off only if current is too low or when triggered off. Some
thyristors and their symbols are in figure 1.
(a) 4-layer diode (b) SCR (c) Diac (d) Triac (e) SCS
Figure 1
Shockley Diode
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 basic construction
of a 4-layer diode and its schematic symbol are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: The 4-layer diode.
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.
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 act as base
current to the lower npn device causing it to conduct and bringing both transistors into
saturation
68 Assist. Prof. Dr. Hamad Rahman
Electronic Devices
Figure 3: A 4-layer diode equivalent circuit.
Shockley Diode Characteristic Curve
The characteristic curve for a 4-layer diode shows the forward blocking region. When
the anode-to-cathode voltage exceeds VBR, conduction occurs. The switching current at
this point is IS. Once conduction begins, anode current (IA) increases rapidly and will
continue until IA is reduced to less than the holding current (IH). This is the only way to
stop conduction.
Figure 4: A 4-layer diode characteristic curve.
The Silicon-Controlled Rectifier
An SCR (silicon-controlled rectifier) is a 4-layer pnpn device similar to the 4-layer
diode except with three terminals: anode, cathode, and gate. The basic structure and
schematic symbol of SCR are shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: The silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR).
69 Assist. Prof. Dr. Hamad Rahman
Electronic Devices
The SCR has two possible states of operation. In the off state, it has a very high
resistance. In the on state, the SCR acts ideally as a short from the anode to the cathode;
actually, there is a small on (forward) resistance.
The SCR operation can best be understood by thinking of its internal pnpn structure
as a two-transistor arrangement, as shown in Figure 6. This structure is like that of the 4-
layer diode except for the gate connection. The upper pnp layers act as a transistor, Q1,
and the lower npn layers act as a transistor, Q2. Again, notice that the two middle layers
are shared.
Figure 6: SCR equivalent circuit.
Turning the SCR On
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 (VBR(F)) or by gate current, as shown in Figure 7.. Notice that the gate current
controls the amount of forward breakover voltage required for turning it on. VBR(F)
decreases as IG is increased above 0 V.
Figure 7: SCR characteristic curves.
Turning the SCR Off
Like the 4-layer diode, the SCR will conduct as long as forward current exceeds IH.
There are two ways to drop the SCR out of conduction: 1) anode current interruption
and 2) forced commutation. Anode current can be interrupted by breaking the anode
70 Assist. Prof. Dr. Hamad Rahman
Electronic Devices
current path (shown here), providing a path around the SCR, or dropping the anode
voltage to the point that IA < IH.
Figure 8: SCR turn-off by: (a) anode current interruption, and (b) forced commutation.
Force commutation uses an external circuit to momentarily force current in the opposite
direction to forward conduction. SCRs are commonly used in ac circuits, which forces
the SCR out of conduction when the ac reverses.
SCR Characteristics and Ratings
Several of the most important SCR characteristics and ratings are defined as follows.
• Forward-breakover voltage, VBR(F): voltage at which the SCR enters the forward
conduction region.
• Holding current, IH: This is the value of anode current below which the SCR switches
from the forward-conduction region to the forward-blocking region.
• Gate trigger current, IGT: This is the value of gate current necessary to switch the
SCR from the forward-blocking region to the forward-conduction region under
specified conditions.
• Average forward current, IF(avg): This is the maximum continuous anode current (dc)
that the device can withstand in the conduction state under specified conditions.
• Reverse-breakdown voltage, VBR(R): maximum reverse voltage before SCR breaks
into avalanche.
71 Assist. Prof. Dr. Hamad Rahman
Electronic Devices
Figure 9: SCR characteristic curves For IG = 0.
72 Assist. Prof. Dr. Hamad Rahman
