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SCR Silicon Controlled Rectifier

The silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) is a semiconductor device that can control AC-to-DC conversion. It is made of silicon and consists of three p-n junctions. The SCR can be turned on through its gate terminal or by exceeding its forward breakover voltage, allowing current to flow in one direction only. It has applications in motor speed control and crowbar circuits for overvoltage protection.

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Michelle Mamano
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76 views4 pages

SCR Silicon Controlled Rectifier

The silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) is a semiconductor device that can control AC-to-DC conversion. It is made of silicon and consists of three p-n junctions. The SCR can be turned on through its gate terminal or by exceeding its forward breakover voltage, allowing current to flow in one direction only. It has applications in motor speed control and crowbar circuits for overvoltage protection.

Uploaded by

Michelle Mamano
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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(SCR) Silicon- Controlled Rectifier

• The name "silicon controlled rectifier" is a trade name for the type of
thyristor commercialized at General Electric in 1957.
• It is made up of silicon semiconducting material
• Used for AC to DC conversion
• Control AC to DC
• Unidirectional device

Working Principle:

• Forward blocking mode (off state)


• Forward conduction mode (on state)
• Reverse blocking mode (off state)

In this mode of operation, the positive voltage (+) is given to anode A (+), negative voltage (-)
is given to cathode K (- ), and gate G is open circuited as shown in the above figure. In this
case, the junction J1 and junction J3 are forward biased whereas the junction J2 becomes
reverse biased. Due to the reverse bias voltage, the width of depletion region increases at
junction J2. This depletion region at junction J2 acts as a wall or obstacle between the junction
J1 and junction J3. It blocks the current flowing between junction J1 and junction J3. Therefore,
the majority of the current does not flow between junction J1 and junction J3. However, a small
amount of leakage current flows between junction J1 and junction J3. When the voltage
applied to the SCR reaches a breakdown value, the high energy minority carriers causes
avalanche breakdown. At this breakdown voltage, current starts flowing through the SCR. But
below this breakdown voltage, the SCR offers very high resistance to the current and so it will
be in off state.

In this mode of operation, SCR is forward biased but still current does flows through it. Hence,
it is named as Forward Blocking Mode.
In the second case, a small positive voltage VG is applied to the gate terminal. As we know
that, in forward blocking mode, current does not flows through the circuit because of the wide
depletion region present at the junction J2. This depletion region was formed because of the
reverse biased gate terminal. So this problem can be easily solved by applying a small positive
voltage at the Gate terminal. When a small positive voltage is applied to the gate terminal, it
will become forward biased. So the depletion region width at junction J2 becomes very narrow.
Under this condition, applying a small forward bias voltage between anode and cathode is
enough for electric current to penetrate through this narrow depletion region. Therefore,
electric current starts flowing through the SCR circuit.

In this mode of operation, SCR is forward biased and current flows through it. Hence, it is
named as Forward Conducting Mode.

In this mode of operation, the negative voltage (-) is given to anode (+), positive voltage (+) is
given to cathode (-), and gate is open circuited as shown in the above figure. In this case, the
junction J1 and junction J3 are reverse biased whereas the junction J2 becomes forward
biased. As the junctions J1 and junction J3 are reverse biased, no current flows through the
SCR circuit. But a small leakage current flows due to drift of charge carriers in the forward
biased junction J2. This small leakage current is not enough to turn on the SCR. So the SCR
will be in Off state.

Turning on the SCR:

• By exceeding the forward breakover voltage or the gate terminal.


• Having a 30v and above to trigger on state.
• SCRs having typical turn-on times of 0.1 to 1 microsecond.

Turning off the SCR:

• Anode current interruption


• Forced commutation
• Turn off time of SCRs are typically 5 to 30 microsecond.

V-I Characteristics of SCR

The V-I characteristics of SCR is shown in the below figure. The horizontal line in the below
figure represents the amount of voltage applied across the SCR whereas the vertical line
represents the amount of current flows in the SCR.

• Forward breakover voltage V(BR)F is that voltage above which the SCR enters the
conduction region.
• Gate trigger current, IGT is the value of the current necessary to switch the SCR from
the forward-blocking region to the forward-conduction region under specified
conditions.
• Holding current IH is that value of current below which the SCR switches from the
conduction state to the forward blocking region under stated conditions.
• Forward and reverse blocking regions are the regions corresponding to the open
circuit condition for the controlled rectifier which block the flow of charge (current) from
anode to cathode,
• Reverse breakdown voltage is equivalent to the Zener or avalanche region of the
fundamental two-layer semiconductor diode.

Applications

• SCRs are used in a variety of power control applications one of the most common
applications is to use it in ac circuits to control a dc motor or appliance because the
SCR can both rectify and control.

• Another application for SCRs is in crowbar circuit. 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.

Advantages:

• Can handle large voltages, currents, & power


• Easy to turn on
• High reliability and durability

Disadvantages:

• It can conduct in unidirectional flow


• Limited frequency capabilities compared to some other semiconductor devices.

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