SILICON CONTROLLED RECTIFIER(SCR)

OBJEC T: -To study the characteristics of a silicon controlled rectifier

(SCR).
APPARATUS: - ExperimentalBoard, connection leads Red-6 &Black-5 (2mm).
THEORY: The SCR is very important PNPN device with three junctions.
The silicon is exclusively used to make SCR due to extremely low leakage
Current in case of silicon diodes. The SCR either conducts heavily or does
not conduct at all. This makes it equivalent to a unidirectional power switch.
Its characteristics and physical working put it to various applications and
assign different names to SCR. The application and the names of SCR are
given below:

1. Power switch and power regulation.

2. Power rectification (AC into DC).

3. Power inversion (DC into AC).

It is known as SCR, thyristor and thyrode on the basis of its working.

Working of SCR: - The fig. (1a) shows SCR as a PNPN device with three
junctions J, Jz &ds. The three electrodes of SCR are anode (A), the gate (G)
and cathode (K). The top P is made the anode (A), the remaining P is made
the gate (G) and the ending Nis made the cathode (K). The symbol of SCR
is shown in fig. (1b) with the input and output terminals.
A+

P SCR A

N
Jh OUTPUT OUTPUT

G*INPUT N
P
J3
G

INPUT
K
Fig. (1a) Fig. (1b)

[1]
This unit can be treated as:
1. The combination of a PNP transistor and a PN diode.
Z. Tne Combination of a PNP and an NPN transistor. The fig.(1c & 1a)
Snow iS working as the combination of two coupled transIStors
(PNP & NPN). To grasp SCR Workina, let us consider open gate and
positive gate SCR operation.
A+

F
PNP
N

JK
K
Fig. (1c) Fig. (1d)
gate. The anode
A. Open Gate SCR:- In this case no voltage acts on the junctíons J and
makes
voltage VA between anode (A)and cathode (K)result there is no anode
J3 torward biased while J, is unbiased. As a voltage comes at
Current (la). On increasing anode voltage, a limit of heavily due to
conducts
which the junction J> gets ruptured and SCR over voltage (VBo).
forward breakdown. This voltage is known as break VG =0because
at
However present SCRs have extremely high VBo
biasing the anode, a
leakage current is extremely low. On reverse
occurs due to minority
reverse avalanche breakdown of the unit
current. This should be avoided.
over voltage (VB0) values for open
B. Positive Gate SCR:- The break positive low gate voltage VG of
gate are extremely high. However, a
1V reduces VBo COnsiderably. In this way a positive loWgate
order SCR. Once triggered, VG
circuit of
voltage Ve triggers the output anode Let
looses control on anode current. values us designate triggering gate
of lGT range from uAto
voltage as VeT andcurrent as lcT. Thethe SCR. The turn on time is guite
upon the ratings of
mA depending triggering. The anode circuit is switched off to
smallin case of +Ve gate
non-conducting state.
bring back the SCR to
diode to conduct, which ultimately splits iunction
The +Ve gate makes PN NPN transistors, using Tig. (1c & 1d), the +Ve gate
In terms of PNP and transistor operative. As a result, the outout of
makes the base of NPN PNP transistor operative. Hence both trencit
transistor makes the base of +Ve value of VeT.
immediately for
conduct almost

[2]
 Characteristics of SCR: -On the basis of described working, the input and
ihe output characteristics of an SCR are shown in figs. (2a &2b).
HIGH CONDUCTION
CURRENT

lGT --- (VGT, lGt) "OLDING

REVERSE CURRENT
BLOCKING
cURRENT (UH)
VR VE
FORWARD BLOCKING
REVERSE FORWARD
CURRENT BREAKOVER
AVALANCHE PEAK REVERSE
CURRENT VOLTAGE vOLTAGE

VGT VG (VBo)
Fig. (2a) Fig. (2b)

The gate (G) is the input and the anode (A) is the output with cathode (K) as
common. Hence the symbolic characteristics of SCR are written as:
A.Input characteristics: -(Ver &lG) V Constant.
2, Output characteristics:- (Va &Ia) VeT CoNstant.
characteristicS
The input characteristics are shown in fig. (2a) and the output characteristicS
are shown in fig. (2b). Our interest centers on forward output
to determine following parameters of interest:
1. The break over voltage (VBo).
2. The variation of la with Va in conduction region for a fixed load RL
practical voltage
3. The steep rise of lA in conduction region implies given by
regulation due to low dynamic resistance (ra) of SCR. The ra is
relation:
(AVd
AlA
input characteristics are used to determine the values of triggering
The preliminary.
voltage and current (VeT, lGT) as aanode voltage has practically no control on
However, it is observed that the
tiggering voltage and current.
CIRCUIT:
RL
SCRA

Rs VAA
VA)

VGG (VG)

Fig. (3)

[3]
 PROCEDURE:. - (A)
Experiment
NOTE: The variations shown withareRL1exemplary
in graphs = 470Q. & the numerical values may
differ due to physical conditions and individual's
Rs 10KQ
working.
RL1 4702
OFF
S1
ON RL2 1KS2
VsG

GK

Fig. (4)
> Keep power SWitch in off
position.,
Remove all the connections, if any, on the exp. board.
4Connect terminals (GATE
2Connect terminals (ANODE
CIRCUIT) 1-1,2-2, 3-3, 4-4.
and 11-11. CIRCUIT) 5-5(RL1), 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, 10-10
3. Keep the power supply (VGG &VAA)
switch S1 in off position. knobs at minimum position and
4. Switch on the power
supply.
5. Determination of
triggering voltage VeT and current let:
() Keep gate voltage VG =0 and switch on S1.
(ii) Adjust anode voltage VA at 5 volt.
(iii) Increase VG gradually and slowly.
that as soon as VG becomes equalWatch
VA and la meters carefully. Note
to triggering voltage VGT; the anode
current lA shoots up and VA Voltage drops down to a value Va.
Note following values:
(a) Record anode current lA =
... MA.
(b) Press switch S2 and record
dropped anode voltage Va = ... volt.
(C) Switch off S1 and record
triggering gate voltage VGT =... volt.
(a)Keep S1 in off position. Remove
connections 3-3 & 4-4 of the
Voltmeter (Ve) and connect this voltmeter
Ks (10 kQ) by connecting terminals +4 to 2 &across
-3 to 4.
resistance
Read voltmeter Ve. This gives the voltage drop
Rs (10kQ) due to VRS across
current leT:
Use
following relation toleTcalculate ler:
= VRs (volt) =... A=... uA
Rs (2)
[4]
 6. Repeat steps 1to 5 for VA = 10 V, 15V and 20V.Record observations
for VeT, VRS, lGT, Va and la in following table (1):
VA Volt VGT Volt VRs Volt leT uA Va volt lA mA
5V

10V

15V

20V

Note that VeT and leT are practically independent of VA

Output anode characteristics of SCR:
Precautions & Preliminaries: Never operate SCR without a load RL Use
before next
switch S1 to switch on or offthe anode circuit. Always set VG =0to determine
below
reading. With these precautions in mind proceed as
following: voltage
of anode
(a) Break over voltage (VBo):Treat untriggered valueeach
VA = VBo because Ver triggers SCR at this voltage time.

(b) Dropped down voltage (V): The untriggered anode voltage VA

voltage VeT
drops down toa very low voltage Va by the gate triggering
may be defined as the minimum
(c) Holding current lH: The holding current conduction & returns to its off
value of current at which the device stops
small in mA order as
state. The value of this holding current is very
compared to the conduction anode current.
a nonohmic variation of Ia
(d) Conduction region of SCR: In this region voltage Va and l . The anode
is plotted between the dropped anodechange in V, is very small.
current laA sharply increases while thera quite low of units order.
This makes the dynamic resistance
connected to measure
EXPERIMENT: - Remove connections 4-2 and 3-4 off S1.
leT. Now connect 3-3 &4-4 and switch
R_= 4702 with switch S1 on.
1. Keep Ve=0, adjust VA 5V,
triggering in terms of la=...mAshoot un
2. Increase Ve to Ver and record the pressing
andalso record the anode dropped voltage VA = Va=...volt by
switch S2.
3. Keep switch S2 pressed to record the variation of dropped anode voltage
SCR. First increase V.
V andanode current la for the conducion region of
to maximúm by varying the power supply VAA. Now record the I valuee fo
minimum till the scpi
possible small steps of Vtrom the maximum to
untriggered (la =0) in table (2).
[5]
A Repeat steps 1 to 3 for VA= 10V, 15V and 20V. Record values of Va
steps, breakdown voltage VRO, anode current la and the average value Ol IA
for each step value of Va in table (2).
Table (2): Observations at R, = 470 0.
Decreasing The values of la (mA) for step values of V80
step values of At thetime of triggering
dropped anode
At the time of triggering
At the time of triggering At thetime of triggering
voltage a..mA, Va.volt =..MA, V=.volt mA,VF.voft ..MA, Ve..volt Average
Va (volt) VA=VBo=5V V =Vag=10V Va=Vao=15V Va=Vso=20V JA
lA (mA) IA (mA) la (mA)
lA (mA) Ia(mA)

5.The observations recorded in table (2) are used to plot following graphic variations
(a) Over allvariation of la with VA as the characteristic of SCR is shown in fig. (5).
(b) The variation of la with Va in the conduction region is shown in fig. (9).
6. In order to plot variation of fig. (5) (for example at VA=5V), take VA on X-axis
and lA on y-axis. Label point (A)VA = 5V as Ve0=5V, label point(B) for
the value of the dropped voltage Va at the time of triggering and
corresponding anode current lA. Label the point (C) for the maximum
value of Va and corresponding anode current la:

55
50
45

40
35
30
25
20
15 NBO
10

Holding < I H X
Current0
0 0.5 1.5 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5
VA(volt)
Fig. (5)
conduction region appears straight due to graphic scale
7. The variation in
that the
However aseparate graph plotted in fig. (6) shows
reasons.
linear.
variation of Ia with V is non
 the variation of fig. (6) take Va on
plot x-axis and average value of lA on
y-axisas perScale shown in fig. (6) and
8.To plot the variation graphically.

Ia(mA)
50
TY
45
40
35
30 AIA
25
20
15 B
10
H
5
0
0.78 0.8 0.82 0.84
Va(volt)
0,66 0.68 0.7 0.72 0.74 0.76
Fig. (6)
resistance (ra) of SCR in conduction
to calculate dynamic
9.Use fig. (6)
region by following relation:
ra=
AV,(volt)
Al, (A)
the
with other value of R = 1kQ provided on
experiment
10. Repeat
experimental board.
current la is controlled by the load
anode
COMMENTS:- Note that the proportion of the two
in ratio
its value reduces
resistance and therefore
on the experimental board.
given
K=4700Q&1k0 untriggered on decreasing Va
just
SCR becomes
Secondly note that the
0.70volt due to knee voltage reasons.
below comparative results with RL1 &RL2.
and
KESULTS:- Consolidated Values
Measured &calculated
calculated Values at Ru2 = 1kQ
SI.
Measured &
No. at RL1 =
470Q
Mean value of l F.. UA
. . LA V
Mean value of leT Mean value of Ver .
VGT =... V Value of ra F..9
Mean value of Value of IH =...MA
Value of ra =...2
5...MA
Value ofIH
[71