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Unit V - Notes

The document provides an overview of special electronic devices including Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCR), Uni Junction Transistors (UJT), TRIACs, DIACs, and photodiodes. It describes the structure, operation, and applications of each device, highlighting their functionalities in electronic circuits. Key characteristics and behaviors, such as switching states and current flow, are also discussed for each device.

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Dharani Dharan
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4 views

Unit V - Notes

The document provides an overview of special electronic devices including Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCR), Uni Junction Transistors (UJT), TRIACs, DIACs, and photodiodes. It describes the structure, operation, and applications of each device, highlighting their functionalities in electronic circuits. Key characteristics and behaviors, such as switching states and current flow, are also discussed for each device.

Uploaded by

Dharani Dharan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UNIT V – SPECIAL DEVICES

(SILICON CONTROLLED RECTIFIER)SCR


Silicon Controlled Rectifier is a four layer device with three terminals (Gate, Anode
and Cathode).

Circuit symbol and equivalent circuit of SCR


Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) is a four layer PNPN device where connections to
all the four layers are available. It have four terminals, they are Cathode (K), Cathode Gate
(G1), Anode (A) and Anode Gate (G2).
Circuit symbol of SCR

The SCR is a four-layer, three-junction and a three-terminal device. 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.
In absence of external bias voltages, the majority carrier in each layer diffuses until
there is a built-in voltage that retards further diffusion. Some majority carriers have enough
energy to cross the barrier caused by the retarding electric field at each junction. These
carriers then become
minority carriers and
can recombine with
majority carriers.
Minority carriers in
each layer can be
accelerated across each
junction by the fixed
field, but because of
absence of external
circuit in this case the
sum of majority and minority carrier currents must be zero.
The characteristics in first quadrant for different values of gate current is shown that
the break over voltage reduces with increase in gate trigger current (i.e) the anode to cathode
voltage reduces, the magnitude of gate current required to trigger the device to the ON state
increases. The V-I characteristic in third quadrant are same as that in the case of PNPN diode.
Applications of SCR
i) Pulse Generator
ii) Bistable multivibrator
iii) Half-wave controlled rectifier
iv) Full-wave controlled rectifier
UNI JUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
Uni Junction Transistor commonly known as UJT. It is a three terminals (Emitter,
Base 1 and Base 2) semiconductor
device.

With Emitter Open


 When the voltage VBB is applied with emitter open
 Small voltage establishes in n-type silicon bar
 As the emitter is located close to the base B2, thus a
major part of VBB appears between the emitter and
base B1
 The voltage V1 between emitter and B1, establishes a
reverse bias on the pn-junction and the emitter current is
cut off, but a small leakage current flows from B2 to
emitter due to minority charge carriers.
 Thus, the device is said to be in OFF state.
With Emitter at Positive Potential
 When a +ve voltage is applied at the emitter terminal,
the pn-junction will remain reverse biased till the input
voltage is less than V1
 When VE greater V1, the pn-junction becomes forward
biased
 Under this condition, holes are supplied from p-type
region into the n-type bar
 These holes are repelled by positive B2 terminal and attracted towards the
B1 terminal
 This increase in the number of holes in the emitter
to B1 region results in the decrease of resistance of
this section of the bar
 Because of this, the internal voltage drop from
emitter to B1 region is reduced, thus the emitter
current (IE) increases
 As more holes are supplied, a condition of
saturation is reached
 At the point of saturation, the emitter current is
limited by the emitter power supply
 Now, the device is conducting, hence said to be in ON state.
TRIAC [TRIode AC switch]
 Operation
1. Gate and MT2 are at the positive potential wrt
MT1:
In this mode the operation of the TRIAC is identical to
SCR. Current flows through P1NIP2N2 from MT2 to
MT1. (P1-N1 and P2-N2 gets forward biased) – Efficient
Mode – 1st Quadrant
2. MT2 is at negative potential but the gate is at the
positive potential wrt MT1:
Current flows through P2N1P1N4 from MT1 to MT2 (P2-N1 and P1-N4 are forward biased) –
Inefficient Mode
3. MT2 is at positive potential and gate is at the
negative potential wrt MT1:
Current flows through P1N1P2N2 from MT2 to MT1 –
Less Efficient
4. Gate and MT2 are at the negative potential wrt
MT1:
Current flows through P2N1P1N4 from MT1 to MT2 (P2-N1 and P1-N4 are forward biased) –
Less Efficient than Mode 1 – 3rd Quadrant
DIAC [Diode for Alternating Current]

• D
IAC is a diode that conducts electrical current only after its break over voltage
(VBO) has been reached
• DIACs have no gate electrode
• The advantage of a DIAC is that it can be turned on or off simply by reducing the
voltage level below its avalanche breakdown voltage.
• DIACs are also known as a transistor without a base.
• It is a device which consists of four layers and two terminals.
• When A2 is more positive wrt A1 then the current does not flows through the
corresponding N-layer but flows from P2-N2-P1-N1.
• When A1 is more positive A2 then the current flows through P1-N2-P2-N3.
The construction resembles the diode connected in series.
Applications:
 Used in the lamp dimmer circuit
 Used in a heat control circuit
Used in the speed control of a universal motor

Photo Diode
 A photodiode is a P-N junction diode that
will conduct current when exposed to
light.
 This diode is actually designed to operate
in the reverse bias mode.
 It means that larger the intensity of falling light, the greater will be the reverse
bias current.
Working
 Reverse current increases as the intensity of incident light increases.
 It consists of a PN junction mounted on a
P-type substrate and sealed in a metallic
case.
 The junction point is made of transparent
lens and it is the window where the light
is supposed to fall.
 When there is no light illumination,
reverse current will be almost zero.
The minimum amount of current
present is called as Dark Current.
 When PN junction diode is reverse biased, a very small amount of reverse current
flows.
 The reverse current is generated thermally by electron-hole pairs in the
depletion region of the diode.
 When light falls on PN junction, it is absorbed by the junction.
 This will generate more electron-hole pairs.
 The intensity of falling light increases, resistance of the PN junction diode
decreases.
 This action makes the diode more conductive.
 These diodes have very fast response time
 Used in high computing devices, alarm &counter circuits.
Photo Transistor

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