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 EXPERIMENT NO. 1
STUDY OF CHARACTERISTICS OF AN SCR

SUBMITTED BY: DATE PERFORMED:

ACIERTO, RON ANGELO S. SEPTEMBER 01,2021

SUBMITTED TO: DATE SUBMITTED:

SIR JHON HARLEX ARAÑAS SEPTEMBER 05, 2021

Exp-1. Study of
characteristics of
an SCR
OBJECTIVE:
To obtain the V-I
characteristics of
SCR (Silicon
Controlled Rectifier).

APPARATUS
REQUIRED:
SL. No, Apparatus,
Range, Type,
Quantity.
1. Two
continuously
variable DC
Regulated
Power
Supplies of
0-1v and
0-30v.
Specification of Regulated Power Supply :
Input Voltage : 230v ± 10% AC, 50 Hz.
Load Regulation : ± 0.2% Line
Regulation : ± 0.05%
Ripple : Less than 3mv R.M.S.
Protection : Against Short Circuit & Over Load

2. Three meters measure Voltage & Current are mounted on front panel &
connections brought out on 4mm Sockets.
(i) Two Ammeter of Dual range(0-30mA/ 0-1.2A) & (0-200µA).(ii)
One Voltmeter of Dual range 0-30V/0-1.2V.

3. SCR (2P4M) placed inside the cabinet and connections are brought out on
sockets.

BRIEF THEORY:
An SCR is a three terminal, four layer latching device. The three terminals are
anode, cathode and gate. When the anode is more positive w.r.t the cathode,
junctions j1, j3 are forward biased and the junction j2 is reverse biased. Only a
small leakage current flows through the device. The device is said to be in the
forward blocking state or OFF state. When the anode to cathode voltage is
increased to break-over value, the junction j2 breaks down and device starts
conducting. The anode current must be more than a value known as latching
current in order to maintain the device in the ON state. Once SCR starts
conducting, it behaves like a conducting diode and gate has no control over the
device.
Fig.1 Schematic Symbol Fig.2 Block Construction

The device can be turned OFF only by bringing the device current below a
value known as holding current. The forward voltage drop across the device in
the ON state is around one volt. When the cathode voltage is made positive w.r.t
the anode voltage the junction j2 is forward biased and the junction‟s j1 and j3
are reverse biased. The device will be in the reverse blocking state and small
reverse leakage current flows through the device. The device can be turned ON
at forward voltages less than break over voltage by applying suitable gate
current.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM :

MODEL GRAPH :
EXPERIMENTAL DATA:
Vaa @ Vgg = 0 Ig Ia Vak
5 -6.484nA 0.888uA 5V

10 -0.014uA 1.776uA 10V

15 -0.021uA 1.776uA 15V

20 -0.028uA 3.553uA 20V

25 -6.133mA 0.018A 23.185V

Vaa @ Vgg = 10 Ig Ia Vak

15 0.071A 0.141A 0.882V

20 0.071A 0.191A 0.902V

25 0.071A 0.241A 0.92V

27 0.071A 0.261A 0.926V

30 0.071A 0.291A 0.936V

Vaa @ Vgg = 15 Ig Ia Vak

19 0.111A 0.181A 0.896V

21 0.111A 0.201A 0.903V

24 0.11A 0.231A 0.914V

26 0.11A 0.251A 0.921V

29 0.11A 0.281A 0.931V

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
1. What is thyristor family?

The thyristor family of devices are two, three, and four terminal components, which
behave as switches, in that they do not amplify signals as transistors do. Usually, a three
terminal device has a gate terminal, which controls the flow of current through the anode, and
cathode terminals. An advantage of using thyristors for switching over transistors is that the
former tends to switch ON or OFF entirely and requires no biasing components. In contrast,
improperly biased transistors may not operate within the saturation region resulting in
inefficiency.
2. What are the different family members of thyristor devices?
• Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR)
• Silicon Controlled Switch (SCS)
• Triac
• Four Layer Diode
• Diac

3. What are the different modes of an SCR?

• Forward blocking mode (off state)

• Forward conduction mode (on state)
• Reverse blocking mode (off state)
4. Define Latching current (IL).

Latching current (IL) is the minimum principal current required to maintain the Thyristor in
the on state immediately after the switching from off state to on state has occurred and the
triggering signal has been removed.
5. Define Holding current (IH). Which will be larger either IL or IH?

The main difference between latching and holding current of SCR is that latching current is
related with turn on process while holding current is related with turn off process of SCR.
Latching current of forward biased SCR is the minimum current which anode current must attain
to continue to remain in forward conduction mode even when gate current is removed. If the
value of anode current is less than this value, the SCR will not continue to conduct in forward
direction if gate signal is removed. But once anode current becomes more than latching current,
gate losses its control and it may be removed. The SCR will continue to conduct. 6. What are
the conditions for „Turn-On‟ of an SCR.?
As the positive voltage applied, the SCR is forward biased and doesn't conduct until its
gate current is more than minimum gate current of the SCR. When the gate current is
applied by varying the resistance R2 such that the gate current should be more than the
minimum value of gate current, the SCR is turned ON.