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 SILICON CONTROLLED RECTIFIER
 Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR)
 is a unidirectional semiconductor device made of silicon which can be
used to provide a selected power to the load by switching it ON for
variable amount of time.
 These devices are solid-state equivalent of thyratrons and are hence
referred to as thyristors or thyrode transistors. SCR is a trade name of
General Electric (GE) to the thyristor. (prominent member of thyristor
family)
 It is widely used as switching device in power control applications.
 The SCR is a four layer, three junction device the layers being
alternatively P-type and N-type silicon, whereas terminal are:
 ANODE (A)
 CATHODE (C) and
 GATE (G)
 A

Junction 1, J1

Junction 2, J2
G
Junction 3, J3

C
These SCRs can be considered
equivalent to two inter-connected
transistors as shown by the below
diagram.
Further, the base
of Q1 is connected
to the collector of
Q2 and the
collector of Q1 is
shorted with the
base of Q2 to
result in the gate
terminal of the
SCR.
 MODES OF SCR
1. Forward Blocking Mode
 In this mode of operation, the SCR is connected such that thr anode
terminal is made positive with respect to cathode while the gate terminal
kept open. In this state junctions J1 and J3 are forward biased and the
junction J2 reverse biased.

2. Reverse Blocking Mode

 In this mode of operation cathode is made positive with respect to anode.
Then the junctions J1 and J3 are reverse biased. This reverse voltage
drives the SCR into reverse blocking region results to flow a small
leakage current through it and acts as open switch.

3. Forward Conducting Mode

 In this mode, SCR or thyristor comes into the conduction mode from
blocking mode. It can be done in two ways as either by applying positive
ulse to gate terminal or by increasing the forward voltage (or voltage
accross the anode and cathode) beyond the break over voltage of the SCR.
 APPLICATIONS OF SCR
 Power Switching Circuits (for both AC and DC)
 Zero- voltage switching circuits
 Over Voltage Protection Circuits
 Controlled Rectifiers
 Inverters
 AC Power Control ( including lights, motors etc.)
 Battery Charging Regulator
 Computer Logic Circuit
THE END
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