Thyristor & Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR)

What is a Thyristor?
The word “Thyristor” is a Greek word which means “Door” which is derived from
the combination of two words i.e. Thyratron (a thyratron is a gas filled tube device
used for control rectifier and high power electrical switching applications)
and Transistor = Thyristor.
Thyristor is a four-semiconductor layer or three PN junction device. It is also
known as “SCR” (Silicon Control Rectifier).
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Thyristors are also known as PN PN Devices. These devices are available in different
shapes and types i.e. Uni-Junction Transistor (UJT), Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR),
Triode for Alternating Current (TRIAC), DIAC (diode for alternating current), Silicon
Control Switch (SCS) etc.
Thyristors have the ability to be controlled, fast response, it’s highly reliable because
it can handle large current and needs a little maintenance. The cost of thyristor
production is low and it is very efficient. Thyristors are used in controlling DC/AC
motors. It is also used in improving power factor and as a switching device as well as
in HVDC (High Voltage DC) transmission lines.
Thyristors have reduced the cost of development of drive systems by changing
emphasis from dc motors to ac. It has replaced electromagnetic control systems. It is
capable of handling power as high as 4MW(2,500A at 1600V).

Construction of a Thyristor (SCR)

It is obvious that SCR is a rectifier (PN) and a junction transistor (N-P-N) joined
together to form a PNPN device. All the three terminals are taken from the outer P-
type materials known as the anode, second from the outer n-type material known as
the cathode and the third from the base known as the gate.
As earlier stated, silicon material is used for the production of SCR because of its
ability to withstand high temperature, high thermal conductivity and less leakage of
current in the p-n junction. The junctions are either diffused or alloyed. The material
used for some p diffusion is aluminium.

Two Transistor Analogy of Thyristor

he collector current from the NPN transistor is fed directly to the base of PNP
transistor, while the collector current of PNP transistor is fed to the base of NPN.
These interconnected transistors rely on each other for conduction.

So for one of the transistors to conduct, a base current is required. When the
Thyristor’s anode terminal is negative with respect to cathode, the NP junction
becomes forward biased and the PN junction becomes reverse biased.
Here, the flow of reverse current is blocked until a breakdown voltage is applied. After
breakdown voltage, it starts to conduct without the application of gate signal. This is
one of the negative characteristics of Thyristors as it triggers into conduction by a
reverse break over voltage.

When the anode terminal is made positive with respect to cathode, the outer
junctions are forward biased and the centre NP junction is reverse biased and blocks
the forward current. So to trigger it into conduction, a positive current is applied to
the base of transistors.

The two transistors are connected in a regenerative loop and this force the transistor
to conduct to saturation. Thus, it can be said that a Thyristors block current in both
the direction of an AC supply in its OFF state and can be turned ON by the application
of positive current to the base of transistor.

Voltage Ampere (VI) Characteristics of Thyristor

Thyristors can either be forward biased or reverse biased. We will see how it works in
both states.

Thyristors in Forward Biased State

When anode is made positive, the PN junctions at the ends are forward biased and
center junction (NP) becomes reverse biased. It will stay in blocked (OFF) mode (also
known as Forward Blocking Stage) till the time it is triggered by Gate current pulse or
the applied voltage reaches the forward breakover voltage.

Triggering by Gate Current Pulse – When it is triggered by the gate current pulse,
it starts conducting and will act as a close switch. The Thyristors remains in the ON-
state, i.e. it remains in the latched state. Here the gate loses its control to turn off the
device.

Triggering by Forward Breakover Voltage – When a forward voltage is applied, a

leakage current starts to flow through the blocking (J2) in the middle junction of
Thyristors. When voltage exceeds the forward break over voltage or critical limit, then
J2 breaks down and it reaches to the ON state.

When the Gate current (Ig) is increased, it reduces the blocking area and so the
forward break over voltage is reduced. It will turn ON when a minimum current called
latching current is maintained.

When the gate current Ig=0 and anode current falls below a certain value called
holding current during the ON state, it again reaches to its forward blocking state.
Thyristors in Reverse Biased State
If the anode is negative with respect to cathode, i.e., with the application of reverse
voltage, both PN junctions at the end i.e. J1 and J3 become reverse biased and the
centre junction J2 becomes forward biased. Only a small leakage current flows
through it. This is the reverse voltage blocking mode or OFF state of Thyristor.

When the reverse voltage is increased further, then at a certain voltage, avalanche
breakdown of J1 and J2 occurs and it starts conducting in the reverse direction. The
maximum reverse voltage at which a thyristor starts conducting is known as Reverse
Breakdown Voltage.

The forward breakover voltage (Vbo):

This is the maximum forward voltage that can be applied between anode and
cathode, without initiating forward conduction. This voltage is defined for a zero gate
current. In short, this is the maximum forward voltage across SCR in its off state.

The forward leakage current:

The small forward current flowing in the forward blocking state of the device. This
current is generated due to the minority current carriers and therefore is dependent
on the operating temperature.
The holding current (Ih):

It represents the minimum current that can flow through SCR and still “hold” it in the
on state. The voltage associated with the holding current is termed as holding voltage
Vh.

If the forward anode current is reduced below holding current, SCR will be turned off.
The holding current is defined for zero gate current (Ig = 0), it is denoted by Ih and
its value is few mA.
ON-state voltage:

Note that the voltage across SCR in its on state is very low as compared to the off-
state voltage. It can be shown that the on-state voltage is equal to drop across one
junction (1 to 1.5 Volts).

Latching current (il):

It is the minimum anode current that must flow through SCR to latch it into the on-
state. The latching current is higher than the holding current. The latching current is
important when SCR is being turned on.

Summary

• Thyristor blocks voltage in both forward and reverse direction and thus a
symmetric blocking is formed.
• A Thyristor turns ON by the application of positive gate current and turns OFF
when the anode voltage drops to zero.
• A small current from gate to cathode can trigger the Thyristor by changing it
from open circuit to short circuit.
• Effect of gate current: The graph shows that as we increase the positive
gate current from Ig1 to Ig4, the breakover voltage of SCR Vbo reduces
progressively. Thus, SCR will turn on at lower anode to cathode voltages as
we increase the gate current.