Characteristics of SCR

Objective:
To study the characteristics of silicon controlled rectifier.

Procedure:
1. Make connections as per circuit diagram. Set the value of gate current. Increase the
anode to cathode voltage in steps. Note the point at which SCR just start conducting as
this value of voltage is forward break over voltage. Also Note down the corresponding
values of current and plot V-I graph.
2. Ensure that the SCR is in the state of conduction. Then Start reducing (VAK) anode
voltage in steps of 2V; simultaneously check the state of SCR by switching off gate
supply. If SCR switches off just by removing gate terminal, and switches on by
connecting gate supply, then the corresponding anode current IA is the latching current
(IL) for the SCR.
3. Ensure that the SCR is in the state of conduction. Switch off the gate supply
permanently. Start reducing (VAK) anode voltage in steps of 2V; simultaneously check
the state of SCR. If SCR switches off. Note down the anode current (IA) just before it
drops to zero, which will be holding current.

Circuit Diagram:
Understanding of experiment:

Below breakover voltage SCR offers very high resistance to the current and are in the off state,
only a small leakage current exists from the anode to the cathode until the applied voltage
reaches its breakover value. SCR can be brought from blocking mode to conduction mode in
two ways: either by increasing the voltage across anode to cathode beyond breakover voltage
or by applying positive pulse at gate. Once SCR starts conducting, no more gate voltage is
required to maintain it in the on state. To turn it off, current through it, is reduced below a
minimal value called the holding current (minimum current that must be flowing from anode to
cathode (with no gate current) and still be guaranteed that the SCR will not turn off).
The minimum current applied to the gate of an SCR to be guaranteed it will turn on is the
Latching current (given that there's a minimum voltage between anode and cathode).

Observations and Calculations:

Breakover voltage= 14.4 volts (at gate current= 2.2 mA)

Breakover voltage= 14.6 volts (at gate current= 2.1 mA)

Latching current= 7.7 mA

Holding Current= 6.9 mA

Before conduction=VAK=source voltage

After conduction=VAK=0.7 V

Serial Source
No. voltage Anode current (mA)
1 16 10
2 17 10.75
3 17.5 11.1
4 18 11.5
5 19 12.1
6 20 12.9
7 21 13.4
8 22 14.2
9 22.5 14.5
10 23.5 15.1
11 24 15.6
12 25 16.4
13 25.5 16.7
14 26 17
15 27 17.5
 16 31 20.9

Voltage-Current Characteristics:

SCR voltage-current characteristics

0.025

0.02

0.015
Current

0.01

0.005

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
VAK

Conclusion:

Higher the gate current, smaller is the forward break over voltage. SCRs are unidirectional
devices (i.e. can conduct current only in one direction) but has bipolar voltage withstanding
capability. SCR has Controlled turn on and uncontrolled turn off. Gate current is required to turn
it on but once its start conducting then gate current is not required for further conduction hence it
is self latching device