A Silicon Controlled Rectifier (or Semiconductor
Controlled Rectifier) -is a four layer, three-terminal
solid state device used to control rather large currents
to a load.
The name “silicon controlled rectifier” is a trade name
for the type of thyristor commercialized at General
Electric in 1957
SCR has three states:
1. Reverse blocking mode,
2. forward blocking mode, and
3. forward conducting mode
In SCR is fired by a short burst of current into the gate.
This gate current Ig flows through the junction between
the gate and cathode and exits from the SCR on the
cathode lead.
Igt = 0.1 – 50 mA is the amount of gate current needed
to fire a particular SCR
Voltage between gate and cathode (Vgk) ranges from
0.6-0.8 V for a standard PN junction.
SCR WAVEFORMS:
1. Conduction angle- is the number of degrees of
an ac cycle during which the SCR is turned ON.
2. Firing delay angle- is the number of degrees of
an ac cycle that elapses before the SCR is turned
ON.
SCR- is essentially a diode with an extra terminal added
This extra terminal is called the gate, and it is used to
trigger the device into conduction by the application of
a small voltage
silicon controlled rectifier (abbreviated as SCR) is a three-
terminal semiconductor switching device which is probably
the most important circuit element after the diode and the
transistor.
The SCR has appeared in the market under different names
such as thyristor, thyrode transistor.
SCR combines the features of a rectifier and a transistor.
Three terminals are taken;
1. Anode(A)-one from the outer p-type material
2. Cathode(K)-second from the outer n-type material
3. Gate(G)-the third from the base of transistor Section
The silicon controlled rectifier is a solid state equivalent of
thyratron.
There are two ways to turn on the SCR:
1. first method is to keep the gate open and make the
supply voltage equal to the breakover voltage.
2. second method is to operate SCR with supply voltage
less than breakover voltage and then turn it on by
means of a small voltage ( typically 1.5 V, 30 mA)
applied to the gate.
(i) Breakover voltage. It is the minimum forward voltage,
gate being open, at which SCR starts conducting heavily i.e.
turned on.
(ii) Peak reverse voltage (PRV). It is the maximum reverse
voltage (cathode positive w.r.t.
anode) that can be applied to an SCR without conducting in
the reverse direction.
(iii) Holding current. It is the maximum anode current, gate
being open, at which SCR is turned off from ON conditions.
Forward current rating. It is the maximum anode current
that an SCR is capable of passing without destruction.
Circuit fusing (I2t) rating. It is the product of square of
forward surge current and the time of duration of the surge
i.e., Circuit fusing rating = I2t
reverse breakdown voltage -This maximum reverse voltage at
which SCR starts conducting heavily.
SCR turn-off method
1. (i) Anode current interruption
2. (ii) Forced commutation
Application of SCR:
1. (i) SCR as static contactor- As SCR has no moving
parts, therefore, when it is used as a switch,
2. (ii) SCR for power control.
3. (iii) SCRs for speed control of d.c. shunt motor
4. (iv) Overlight detector
5. (v) SCR Crowbar