Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE)

Faculty of Engineering (FE)

American International University- Bangladesh (AIUB)

Laboratory Report
Industrial Electronics and Drives Laboratory
Section: A Semester: Summer 2020-21

Experiment No. : 01
Experiment Title : Study the characteristics of Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR).

Date of Experiment: 30-05-2021 Date of Report Submission: 06-06-2021

Submitted by: Name: Kabir, Kazi Shahadat ID: 18-36341-1

Group Members (only for group report submission)

Group No.
ID Name
1. 18-36341-1 Kabir, Kazi Shahadat
2. 17-36014-3 Rahman, Salman

7 3.
4.
5.
17-36013-3
18-36361-1
18-37017-1
Sarkar, Md. Mahi
Hossain, Md. Jobaer
Dey, Ratul

Marking Rubrics for Laboratory Report (to be filled by Faculty)

Objectives Unsatisfactory (1)
The relevant theories are not
being described properly.
Theory
Simulation circuits are not
Simulation circuits &
included in this report.
Results
Cannot reach meaningful
Discussion,
conclusions from
Comparison between
experimental data; Cannot
theoretical and
summarize or compare
simulation results
findings to expected results
Report is not prepared as per
Overall Report
the instruction.
format
Comments Assessed by (Name, Sign, and Date)
Good (2-3)
Part of the relevant theories are
described with proper
mathematical expression and
circuit diagrams (if any)
Partial simulation circuit results
are included in this report.
Can extract most of the accurate
data. Answers to the report
questions are partially correct;
Summarize finding in an
incomplete way
Report format is satisfactory with
few missing sections.
Excellent (4-5) Marks
All the relevant theories are
included with proper descriptions,
mathematical expressions and
circuit diagrams. (if any)
All the simulation circuits are
included in this report with
appropriate results.
Can extract all relevant conclusion
with appropriate answer to the
report questions; Summarize
finding in a complete & specific
way
Report is prepared as per the
instructions having all mandatory
sections.
Total (out of 20):
Title: Study the characteristics of Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR)

Introduction:

Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) is a three terminal, three junctions, 4-layer, p-n-p-n
semiconductor device that allows the current to flow in one direction only. It is the member of
the thyristor family.

Structure:

Fig 1(a): Internal Fig 1(b): Symbol of Fig 1(c): Pin configuration of SCR
construction of SCR SCR

Application of the SCR:

SCR
Theory:

I-V Characteristics of SCR:

I-V characteristic is the plot, which shows the variation of anode current w.r.t. anode voltage
at different biasing condition.

Reverse characteristics: Small leakage current called reverse blocking current flows when the
SCR is reversed biased (anode is negative w.r.t. cathode). At peak reverse voltage, reverse
current increases sharply. This is called reverse break over or reverse avalanche region.

Forward Characteristics : Small Forward leakage current flows when SCR is forward biased
(anode is positive w.r.t. cathode) and anode voltage is less than forward break over voltage.
When Anode current exceeds latching current, SCR switches ON. Anode current increases
sharply and anode voltage drops. The gate current controls the forward break over voltage.

Fig 2: I-V characteristics of SCR

Forward break over voltage (VFBO):

It is the forward anode voltage at which SCR switches ON and begins to conduct, when gate
current is zero. SCR is in the Forward Blocking Region when the forward anode voltage is less
than VFBO and little forward leakage current flows through SCR.

Fig 3: Concept Structure of VFBO when Ig =0

Gate control:

The gate terminal controls the forward break over voltage and hence the forward bias level at
which the SCR is turned ON. The higher the value of the gate current, the lower is the anode
voltage requires turning SCR ON. Once the SCR is turned ON, gate loses control and its
removal does not affect the conduction of the SCR. The anode voltage and the external load
then determine the anode current, solely.
 Fig 4: Concept Structure of VFBO when Ig ≠0

Latching Current (IL):

Latching current is the forward anode current requires turning SCR ON. SCR remains OFF as long as the
anode current is less than the latching current.

Fig 5: Concept Structure of latching current

Holding current (IH):

The holding current is the minimum current which must pass through the SCR in order for it to remain in
the 'ON' state.

IA<IH

IA>IH
Fig 6: Concept Structure of holding current

Apparatus:

i. PC/Laptop with Orcad PSpice 9.2 installed.

ii. Thyristor (SCR) 2N1595 (1 pc)
iii. Resistances (470 Ω, 570 Ω)
iv. DC Voltage Source
Simulation and Result:

Fig 7: Circuit diagram for VG = 0V

Fig 8: I-V Characteristics of SCR for VG = 0V

 Fig 9: Circuit diagram for VG = 1V

Fig 10: I-V Characteristics of SCR for VG = 1V

 Fig 11: Circuit diagram for VG = 2V

Fig 12: I-V Characteristics of SCR for VG = 2V

Discussion:

In this experiment, we have been familiarized with SCR, I-V characteristics of SCR and different modes of
operation. As we could not conduct this experiment physically, PSpice simulator was used to demonstrate the
whole virtually. We executed the whole experiment properly and we did not face any problem during the
experiment. The result we found was exactly similar to the expectation. So, we can say that our experiment
was successfully to a large extent.

Conclusion:

From the experiment we analyze that, when the gate voltage was 0 volt (fig. 6) the source voltage was on at
around 52 volt (fig. 7). So, it means even without the gate voltage the thyristor starts to on because of the break
of junction 2. Again, when the gate voltage was 1 volt (fig. 8) the source voltage started to breakdown at 44
volt (fig. 9). Here we can say that by increasing the gate voltage 0 to 1 volt the source voltage decreases.
Similarly, when we set the gate voltage to 2 volt (fig. 10) the source voltage started to breakdown at around
600 millivolt (fig. 11). From this we can say that by increasing the gate voltage from 0 to 2 volt the source
voltage decreases 52 volt to 600 millivolt. By giving only 2 volt to the gate of SCR, it will on at 600 millivolt
(source voltage) which is very faster than the previous steps.

References:

1. SCR characteristics Trainer Manual NV6530; NUIS Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Pardeshipura, Indore-
India, <available at: www.nvistech.com>
2. “Introduction to Power electronics”. Dr. Robert Erickson, University of Colorado Boulder and
University of Colorado System.