SILICON CONTROLLED RECTIFI ER (THYRISTOR)

The SCR is a P-N-P-N semiconductor switching device, which has three

terminals ANODE, CATHODE and GATE.

ANODE (A)
SYMBOL CONSTRUCTION
p ..-Junction 1
N ..-Junction 2
GATE (G) p --Junction 3
GATE (G)
N
CATHODE (K)

Fig. 57 SCR SYMBOL & CONSTRUCTION

An explanation of the operation of the SCR can be carried out using the
two-transistor analogy. For this you should refer to Book 2 in this series.
You may wish to do that now and come back to this section.

- 33
 A A A

p p
Jl
N TR 1
J2 TR 2
G p G G
J3
N

K K K
__,.
Fig. 58 SCR OPERATION

1f U1c: th'O centre region�" uf tli( t:CE 8. < t: regarded as bem6 split diagc•nc'jl:
as shown in figure 58 it becumr.:s two interconnected tra.n sistors TR l
and TR'.2. TRl is a FNP transi::;tci ar ,J TR2 is an NPN transistor. With
1

the anode positive to the cathode, the base collector junctions' (J2) are
reverse biased and apart from a sm�Jl leakage current no current flows.

lf a pulse of current is inJected mto the gate terminal this turns TR2 •jn,
this base current produces a larger collector current in TR2 which also
forms the conduction path for the base current of TR 1, whicn increases
its collector current and forms the base current of TR2. The SCR is now
self-sustaining and the gate supply can be removed. Typically a few
microseconds of a small current applied to the gate will turn the SCR
'ON'.

The device will remain in its conducting state until:

1 The device is reverse biased, ie positive to cathode, negative

to anode.

2 The supply is removed.

3 The voltage across the device is reduced so that the current

falls below its "holding value" (see characteristic).

- 3 -l -
 PRINCIP AL
CURRENT
(FORWARD)
(I A)
FORWARD
CONDUCTIVE
REGION
BREAKOVER
HOLDING a VOLTAGES
b
CURRENT---,-....,,,,::::::::::::::········ ········· c
· · · ··
V K8EVERK:SE ·
- · · ·· ·
A - :_: :..__-===========--l--�����= = :::: :_��
PRINCIP AL
RUNNING VOLTAGE
VOLTAGE (FORWARD)
(TYPIC ALLY (V AK)
REVERSE
1 VOLT}
BREAKDOWN
REGION

I REVERSE
A

Fig. 59 GRAPH OF SCR CHARACTERISTICS

Figure 59 shows a graph of the characteristics for an SCR for different

values of gate voltage. The points a, b and c represent values at which
the junction reverse bias is overcome and the SCR conducts, known as
'break.over'. 'a' represents the highest voltage and 'c' the lowest gate
voltage. Once the SCR is conducting the voltage across it is typically 1
volt.

The SCR can be made to carry a wide range of currents from lA to

1000A. Figure 60 shows different types of SCR.

ANODE

HIGH CURRENT (A0A) MEDIUM CURRENT (25A) LOW CURRENT (1A)

Fig. 60 SCRs

.. 33 -
In aircraft systems, the SCR would be typically used in firewire control,
windscreen-heating control, etc. In windscreen heat control, the SCR
can be gated at the beginning or at any point through out the half cycle.
The earlier it is gated then more current will flow to the windscreen, the
later it is gated then less current will flow.

IN��T
(VI
: ['.j (\ (\ & -
;\Jv7J TIME

I I i_t
+
GATE &

PULSES
(mA) -- TIME
Q -�--�

OU�UT
: l D D D jl_
Fig. 61 GRAPHS OF SCR INPUTS & OUTPUTS
TIME

The ba�1c SCR, when fed 'Vith ac, v1ill switch of after onp half cycle as
f

the other half cycle wiii reverse bias the SCR. So it only allows half
power through.

A TRIAC Clmsists of two SCR's connected in parallel but in opposition

and controlled by the same gate. It is triggered on both half cycles and
therefore one conducts on one half cycle and the other one conducts on
the other half cycle. Figure 62 shows the symbol.

MT2
__,
G�

MT1

Fig. 62 TRIAC SYMBOL

The TRIAC is therefore used in windscreen heat control and domestically

as a lamp dimmer or motor speed control for an electric drill.

- 36 -
LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED)

An LED consists of a junction diode made from the semiconductor

compound gallium arsenide phosphide. It emits light when forward
biased, the colour of the light emitted is in direct proportion to the
current flow. Light emission in the red, orange, green and yellow regions
of the spectrum is obtained depending on the composition and impurity
content of the compound.

LENS
COLOURED
TRANSLUCENT ANODW
PLASTIC CASE

FLAT
CATHO�

CATHODE ANODE
LEADS

Fig. 63 LIGHT EMITTING DIODE

When a P-N junction is i"ocward biased electrons move across the

junction from the N-type side to the P-type side where they recombine
with holes near the junction. The same occurs with holes going across
the junction from the P-type side. Every recombination results in the
release of a certain amount of energy, causing, in most semiconductors,
a temperature rise. In gallium arsenide phosphide some of the energy is
emitted as light that gets out of the LED because the junction is formed
very close to the surface of the material.

In applying this to aircraft displays either the 7 segment or dot matrix

configurations may be used.

In the 7 segment display for numerical indication as shown in figure 64,

each segment is an LED mounted within a reflective cavity with a plastic
overlay.

·n· -
LED SEGMENT
- -
I I I I -II-I

·□:
ANODE! 1 a 14 ANODE a

I-I 11= -I I
ANODEg 2 13 ANODE b
COMMON
CATHODE
- - -
I- I_ II-II-I
COMMON
CATHODE

ANODE e
ANODE
DECIMAL -I I-I I I-I -I
POINT
ANODE d ANODE c
d

TYPICAL PIN CONNECTIONS COMMON

CATHODE , SEGMENT LED DISPLAY

Fig. 64 SEVEN SEGMENT LED DISPLAY

- 37 -
When used on with an ac supply should be protected against reverse
breakdown, this can be done with a conventional diode connected in
shunt across the LED. On reverse voltage the diode will conduct at
about 0.4v protecting the LED which would breakdown at about 3-11
volt reverse voltage.

SHOTIKY DIODE

This diode is a rectifying metal to semiconductor junction. Several

metals may be used, including gold and aluminum, which are fused
directly to a semiconductor material.

Since the mobility of electrons is greater than holes an N-type semi­

conductor is used. Current flow in this diode differs from current flow in
conventional P-N junction diodes in that the minority carriers do not take
any part in the process. The diode has very low capacitance and high
switching speeds, produces less noise and has a smaller forward
conducting voltage (0.2 to 0.4v) then conventional P-N diodes.

Fig. 65 SCHOTTKY DIODE SYMBOL

The basic construction, as already mentioned, is a piece of aluminum

fused to an N type semiconductor. Some of the aluminum atoms diffuse
into the silicon because aluminum has a valency of 3. This makes a very
small P region. The current carrier is almost 100% electrons due to free
electrons in the N type semiconductor and the metal.

The shottky diode is used in the making of logic gates as the switching
time is high.

- 38
VARACTOR DIODE

Under reverse bias conditions, a junction diode can be regarded as a

parallel plate capacitor having two plates (the P and N regions) that are

separated by a dielectric (depletion layer). The capacitance will vary

according to the area and width of the depletion layer. The narrow
depletion layer gives a higher capacitance than a wider depletion layer.

Fig. 66 SYMBOL - VARACTOR DIODE

If this reverse bias can be varied then we have a variable capacitor

typically between 2-1 0pf. These diodes are used to tune TV and VHF
radio sets m special circuits, which allow the set to lock on to the desired
station automatically. Figure 66 shows the symbol for the varactor
(varicap) diode.

VARISTOR

The metal oxide varistor (MOV) is a semiconductor resistor made of zinc

oxide semiconductor crystals. When the ·voltage across this .::,pecialised
resistor becomes two high, the resistor breaks down and becomes a
conductor. The action of the varistor can be compared to a pair of zener
diodes wired back to back in series.

+1
POSITIVE

------..
BREAKDOWN

0
-V -....:_-2�0�0V=======-2f--========��� +V
+200V

�
NEGATIVE
BREAKDOWN
-I

Fig. 67 TYPICAL MOV VOLT-AMPERE

CHARACTERISTIC GRAPH

- 39
 They are used for transient voltage suppression, voltage stabilisation and
switch contact protection.

Figure 68 shows the symbol used in drawings and figure 69 shows how a
varister reduces noise spikes in an ac voltage.

Fig. 68 MOV SYMBOL

+ V 1,

BREAKDOWN

---.
170 V-PV VClLTAGE

·-C>•·

-I
1
f1Rl:.�KDOWl'l

\/

v, __�

l 21l \'< JI.TS AC' TO RECTIFIER_

RMS+ F'ILTER AND
NOISE REGULATOR

Fig. 69 VARISTOR NOISE SPIKE CLIPPING ACTION

The varistor is connected across the secondary of the transformer and at

normal voltage has a very high resistance and takes a very small current.
However when the voltage spikes exceed the breakdown voltage, it
conducts and clips off the noise spikes. The varistor switches extremely
fast, unlike zener diodes that are slow switching. The principle described
here could also be used for switch contact protection.

PHOTO CONDUCTIVE DIODE

The photodiode is a P-N junction that is reversed biased in normal

operation. Its case has a transparent window through which light can
enter.

- 40 -
 As it operates in reverse bias there will be leakage current (minority
carriers) which increases in proportion to the amount of light falling on
the junction. The light energy breaks the bonding in the crystal lattice of
the semiconductor and produces electrons and holes to increase the
leakage current. Figure 70 shows the drawing symbol and figure 71
shows the characteristics of the photodiode.

Fig. 70 SYMBOL - PHOTO CONDUCTIVE DIODE

�- ANOf E C:URRENT (+) FORWARD BIASED

DIODE QUADRANT
OR
PHOTOCONDUCTIVE
QUADRANT

increasing illumination

ANODE VOLT AGE (-) ANODE VOLTAGE(+}

zero illumination

increasing illumination

PHOTODIODE QUADRANT ANODE CURRENT(·)

Fig. 71 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PHOTODIODE

Typically silicon diodes are used, as their leakage current with no light
(dark current) is much lower than germanium. The sensitivity lies
between_lOrnA/lm to about SOmA/lm {lm = lumen which is the amount
of light emitted from a light source1 candela strong) and the spectral
response covers the visible to the infrared range. Photodiodes used with
laser systems can operate at very high frequencies. They are very fast
operating and are used in laser gyros and as an optical receiver for laser
svstems.
,,,, ,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,

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