DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL

EDUCATION,A.P.
Name : B.RAJARAO
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Electronics & communication Engg
Institute : Govt. Polytechnic, Visakhapatnam
Year/Semester : III Semester
Subject : Electronics -I
Subject Code : EE-305
Topic : Special devices(4/6)
Duration : 50Mts.
Sub Topic : Working of SCR
Teaching Aids : Diagrams

EE-305.41
 Recap

• We already discussed about UJT used for triggering the

devices like SCR,SCS,SBS,DIAC…etc.

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 Objectives

• Upon completion of this period the student will be able

to know

• Identification of SCR.

• Working principle of SCR.

• Holding and Latching currents of SCR.

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 WORKING OF SCR

DEVICE

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 WORKING OF SCR

CIRCUIT SYMBOL

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WORKING OF SCR

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 WORKING OF SCR

• SCR is a four layer

device with three
terminals, namely anode,
cathode and gate.

• The schematic
representation is as
shown in figure.

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 WORKING OF SCR

• When the anode is made

positive with respect to
the cathode .

• junction J2 is reverse
biased and only leakage
current will flow through
the device .

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 WORKING OF SCR

• The SCR is then said to

be in the forward blocking
state or off state.

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 WORKING OF SCR

• When the cathode is

made positive with
respect to the anode ,
junction J1 and J3 are
reverse biased and a
small reverse leakage
current will flow through
the SCR .

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 WORKING OF SCR

• The SCR is in reverse

blocking state of the
device .

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 WORKING OF SCR

• When the SCR is forward

biased and anode to cathode
voltage increased further , the
reverse biased junction J2 will
breakdown due to the large
voltage gradient across the
depletion layers. This is the
avalanche breakdown.

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 WORKING OF SCR

• Since the other junctions

J1 and J3 are forward
biased there will be free
carrier movement across
all three junctions ,
resulting in a large anode
to cathode forward
current IA

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 WORKING OF SCR

• The voltage drop Vt

across the device will be
the ohmic drop in the four
layers, and the device is
then said to be in the
conducting state or on-
state.

• In the on-state current is

limited by the external
impedance.

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 WORKING OF SCR

• If the anode-to –cathode

voltage is now reduced
the original depletion
layer and reverse biased
junction J2 no longer
exist due to free
movement of carriers, the
device will continue to
stay on .

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 WORKING OF SCR

• When the forward current

falls below the level of
holding current in, the
depletion region will begin
to develop around J2 due
to the reduced number of
carriers , and device will
go to the blocking state.

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 WORKING OF SCR

• When the SCR is switched on the resulting forward

current has to be more than the latching current.

• The holding current usually is lower than , but very close

to latching current.

• Magnitude is of the order of few milli amperes (mA)

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 Summary

• The SCR is four layer three terminal device.

• The SCR is named because of a silicon device used for

rectification.

• The SCR consists of three junctions.

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 Quiz

• 1 ) The SCR is

(a) Two layer three terminal device

(b) Three layer two terminal device

(c) Four layer three terminal device

(d) Four layer two terminal device

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 Quiz
• 2) An
SCR can be considered to be prepared by
sandwiching

(a) Two diodes

(b) Two NPN Transistor

(c) Two PNP Transistor

(d) One PNP and one NPN transistor

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 Frequently asked questions

1. With neat layer diagram explain the constructional

details of SCR?

2. Explain the working principle of SCR?

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