LAB Handout No.

09 EE-408117

EE–408117 Power Electronics Lab

LAB No: 09
TO INVESTIGATE THE CHARECTRISTICS OF UJT AND
ITS APPLICATION AS SCR TRIGGRING SOURCE

Institute of Space Technology 1

 LAB Handout No. 09 EE-408117

Objective:
1. Experimently verify characteristic curve of UJT
2. To use a unijunction transistor (UJT) as the trigger device for an SCR by using a
typical UJT-SCR circuit.
Apparatus Required:

1. SCR
2. UJT
2. Diode
3. Multimeter
4. Resistor / Capacitor
5. DC power supplly

Introduction
The Unijunction Transistor (UJT)

Although a unijunction transistor is not a thyristor, this device can trigger larger thyristors
with a pulse at base B1. A unijunction transistor is composed of a bar of N-type silicon
having a P-type connection in the middle. See Figure below(a). The connections at the
ends of the bar are known as bases B1 and B2; the P-type mid-point is the emitter. With
the emitter disconnected, the total resistance R BBO, a datasheet item, is the sum of R B1 and
RB2 as shown in Figure below(b). RBBO ranges from 4-12kΩ for different device types.
The intrinsic standoff ratio η is the ratio of R B1 to RBBO. It varies from 0.4 to 0.8 for
different devices. The schematic symbol is Figure below(c)

Unijunction transistor: (a) Construction, (b) Model, (c) Symbol

The Unijunction emitter current vs voltage characteristic curve (Figure below(a) )

shows that as VE increases, current IE increases up IP at the peak point. Beyond the peak
point, current increases as voltage decreases in the negative resistance region. The

Institute of Space Technology 2

 LAB Handout No. 09 EE-408117

voltage reaches a minimum at the valley point. The resistance of R B1, the saturation
resistance is lowest at the valley point.
IP and IV, are datasheet parameters; For a 2n2647, I P and IV are 2µA and 4mA,
respectively. VP is the voltage drop across RB1 plus a 0.7V diode drop; see
Figure below(b). VV is estimated to be approximately 10% of VBB.

Unijunction transistor: (a) emitter characteristic curve, (b) model for VP .

The relaxation oscillator in Figure below is an application of the unijunction oscillator.

RE charges CE until the peak point. The unijunction emitter terminal has no effect on
the capacitor until this point is reached. Once the capacitor voltage, V E, reaches the
peak voltage point VP, the lowered emitter-base1 E-B1 resistance quickly discharges the
capacitor. Once the capacitor discharges below the valley point V V, the E-RB1
resistance reverts back to high resistance, and the capacitor is free to charge again.

Unijunction transistor relaxation oscillator and waveforms. Oscillator drives SCR.

During capacitor discharge through the E-B1 saturation resistance, a pulse may be seen

Institute of Space Technology 3

 LAB Handout No. 09 EE-408117

on the external B1 and B2 load resistors, Figure above. The load resistor at B1 needs to
be low to not affect the discharge time. The external resistor at B2 is optional. It may be
replaced by a short circuit. The approximate frequency is given by 1/f = T = RC. A
more accurate expression for frequency is given in Figure above.
The charging resistor RE must fall within certain limits. It must be small enough to
allow IP to flow based on the VBB supply less VP. It must be large enough to supply
IV based on the VBB supply less VV. The equations and an example for a 2n2647:

Experiment
PART-A

Circuit Diagram

Procedure :
Connect + 15V DC power supply at their indicated position from external
source.
1. To plot the emitter characteristics proceed as follows:
2. Rotate both the potentiometer P1 and P2 fully in counter clockwise direction.
3. Connect one voltmeter between test point ‘6’ and ground to read VBB and other
between test point ‘1’ and ground to read Ve.
4. Connect ammeter between point ‘2’ and ‘3’ to measure the emitter current Ie

Institute of Space Technology 4

 LAB Handout No. 09 EE-408117

and at point ‘4’ and ‘5’ to measure the base current lb.
5. Switch ‘On’ the power supply.
6. Vary potentiometer P2 and set a value of voltage VBB = 5 V.
7. Increase the emitter voltage Ve in steps.
8. Keep increasing Ve until it drops on voltmeter, UJT fires and emitter current
flows rapidly.
9. Record the corresponding Emitter current for each value of Emitter voltage Ve
in an observation table 1.
10. Repeat the above procedure from step 8 for VBB = 10 V and 15 V.
11. Plot the graph of Ve versus Ie with the help of observation table 1.

Observation Table :

Institute of Space Technology 5