Laboratory Experiment #1

SCR Voltage-Current Characteristics

OBJECTIVE: To plot the I-V characteristics of SCR

MATERIALS: DC Power Supply (0‐128 V), (0‐32V ), Voltmeter (0‐100V), SCR TYN604,
Digital multimeter, Ammeters (0‐100mA, 0-25mA, 0-1mA), Resistors 1K,10W & 1K,1W.

THEORY:

Thyristor Characteristics: ‐ A thyristor is a four layer semiconductor device of

PNPN structure with three PN junctions. It has three terminal anode, cathode and gate.
When the anode voltage is made positive with respect to cathode, the junctions J1 and
J3 are forward biased. The junctions J2 is reversed biased and, only a small leakage
current flows from anode to cathode. The thyristor is then said to be in the OFF mode.
If a Anode to Cathode voltage is increased to a sufficiently large value, the reversed
biased junction J2 will break. This is known as avalanche breakdown and the
corresponding voltage is called forward breakdown voltage VBO. Since junctions J1
and J3 are already forward biased, there will be free movement of carriers across all
three junctions, resulting in a large forward anode current. The device will then be in a
conducting state or on state. The voltage drop would be due to the ohmic drop in the
four layers and it is small, typically, 1V. In the on state, the anode current is limited by
an external impedance or resistance.

V-I Characteristic of Thyristor

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Latching current is the minimum anode current required to maintain the thyristor in
the on state immediately after the thyristor has been turned on and the gate signal has
been removed. Once the thyristor is turned on, it behaves like a conducting diode and
there is no control over the device. The device will continue to conduct because there is
no depletion layer on the junction J2 due to the free movements of the carriers.
However if the forward anode current is reduced below a level known as the holding
current, a depletion layer will develop around the junction J2, due to reduced number
of carriers and the thyristor will be in the blocking state. Holding current is the
minimum anode current required to maintain the thyristor in the on state.
Holding current is less than latching current. A thyristor can be turned on by increasing
the forward voltage VAK beyond VBO, but such a turn on could be destructive. In
practice, the forward voltage is maintained below VBO and the thyristor is turned on by
applying a positive voltage between its gate and cathode. Once a thyristor is turned on
by a gating signal and its anode current is greater than holding current, the device
continues to conduct due to positive feedback, even if the gating signal is removed.

PROCEDURE:

A. Forward Blocking State / OFF state

1) Connect the circuit as shown in the figure.
2) Keep SCR gate open.
3) Vary the voltage between anode & cathode by changing supply V2.
4) To find the leakage current, keep gate open and increase voltage V2 to firing value. A
small magnitude of current will flow through the device which is called leakage
current. (IL).
5) Note down the voltage & current and find out the drop across SCR.
B. Forward Conducting State / ON State
6) Connect the gate of the SCR to supply V1.
7) Adjust gate current by changing V1 and find out the firing voltage of SCR.
8) Switch off the V1 supply. Increase V2 slowly, note down IA. Now reduce the voltage
between anode & cathode by changing V2. Note down the holding current (IH) at
which SCR turns off.
9) Repeat the step 6 to 8 for different values of Ig.
10) Plot the graph.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

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SCR Characteristic:
A. For Forward Characteristics:

Supply Vg = 0 V, Ig = 0 mA Vg = 50V, Ig = 4.35mA Vg =100V, Ig =9.338mA

Voltage(Vaa) Vak(V) Iak(mA) Vak(V) Iak(mA) Vak(V) Iak(mA)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 4.545 4.547 0.639 0.044 0.634 0.044
10 9.091 9.095 0.654 0.094 0.654 0.093
15 0.014 0.014 0.666 0.143 0.666 0.143
20 0.675 193 0.675 193 0.675 193
25 0.681 243 0.681 243 0.681 243
30 0.687 293 0.687 293 0.687 293
40 0.696 393 0.696 393 0.696 393
50 0.696 493 0.703 493 0.703 493

B. For Reverse Characteristics:

Supply Vg = 5 V, Ig =4.358 mA
Voltage(Vaa) Vak(V) Iak(mA)
0 0 0
-10 -10 -0.005329
-20 -20 -0.011
-30 -30 -0.014
-40 -40 -0.021
-50 -50 -0.099
-60 -56.749 -33
-70 -58.183 -118
-80 -58.83 -212

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 -90 -59.245 -308
-100 -59.549 -405

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The V-I characteristics of silicon controlled rectifier is plotted on the graph which
is true according to theory.

Forward Characteristic Curve:

Vg=0

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Reverse Characteristic Curve:

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CONCLUSION:

Before beginning the exercise, the features of thyristors and how latching current and
holding current operate were reviewed. The thyristor, according to theory, can be in an
off mode or a on mode depending on the flow of current and the movement of carriers.
The latching current was the minimum anode current necessary to keep the on state,
whereas the holding current was the minimum anode current required to keep the off
state. Following the processes, we created two circuits (see attached file) that
demonstrate an off and on state. Following the simulation, we plotted the findings and
created the graphs shown above. We may infer that the outcomes were functional since
they were extremely similar to the hypothesis. The storyline also functioned therefore as
outcome of a more comprehensive approach on.