EEE421: POWER ELECTRONICS

Lecture 5
Power Semiconductor
Devices: Thyristor
INTRODUCTION

Thyristors are electronic switches used in some power electronic

circuits where control of switch turn-on is required.

The term thyristor often refers to a family of three-terminal

devices that includes the silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), the
triac, the gate turnoff thyristor (GTO), the MOS-controlled
thyristor (MCT), integrated gate commutated (IGCT)and
others. Thyristor and SCR are terms that are sometimes used
synonymously.

Thyristors are capable of large currents and large blocking

voltages for use in high-power applications, but switching
frequencies cannot be as high as when using other devices
such as MOSFETs. Hence, these devices are traditionally
employed in applications such as DC transmission lines.
STRUCTURE
OPERATION

The device is a three-junction PNPN type device, which can be

represented as two bipolar junction transistors connected
through a regenerative feedback. The transistor Q1 is formed by
the n, p, and n- regions, while the second transistor Q2 is formed
by the p, n- and p layers.

The SCR is known for its symmetric voltage blocking nature, due
to its ability to block voltages in both the
forward and reverse directions.

The SCR can conduct current only when a positive voltage is

applied to the anode terminal, relative to the cathode terminal.
However, the device starts to conduct only when a positive
gate current is supplied. This current causes the transistor Q1 to
turn on.
OPERATION

Since Q1 and Q2 are connected in a regenerative feedback

manner, the collector current of Q1 provides the necessary base
current to Q2, thereby turning on Q2. Hence, a positive feedback
mechanism is created, causing minority charge carriers to be
injected into all four semiconductor layers. As a result, due to
conductivity modulation, the turn-on resistance of the device is
lowered considerably and the device is latched to the on-state.

When IG is greater than the latching current, the current flowing

through the SCR becomes independent of IG. It behaves similarly
to a conventional p-n junction diode and with the current varying
exponentially with VA. In order to turn off the SCR, a reverse
current can to be applied at the anode or a negative anode-to-
cathode voltage will force the device into the off state
 I-V CH.
• It can be observed that for forward-biased condition at zero gate current, the device will
initially conduct a leakage current.

• If the anode voltage VA is increased to a sufficiently large voltage level, the device starts to
conduct. This is the breakover voltage of the SCR.

• If a base current is applied to the device, due to the regenerative feedback mechanisms,
the forward breakover voltage is reduced. Eventually, at a sufficiently large base current
the SCR behaves like a traditional p-n junction diode, with the forward blocking region
removed.

• The device will be turned on successfully if a minimum gate current, called the latching
current, is maintained.

• During conduction, if the gate current is zero and the anode current falls below a
• critical limit, called the holding current, the device reverts to the forward blocking
• state.

• When a negative voltage is applied to the anode terminal, the p-n- junction of the device
becomes reverse-biased and the I–V curves behave similarly to the traditional diodes.
I-V CH.
TURN OFF CH.

• The switching characteristics of the SCR are similar to those of

the epitaxial diode, During the turn-off transition, a negative
anode voltage reverses the direction of current flow in the
SCR. However, the inner p-n junction continues to be forward
biased as long as minority charge carriers continue to exist in
this junction. These charge carriers are removed with the aid
of the negative current and through charge recombination.
As a result, a minimum turnoff time is always required before a
positive voltage can be applied again at the anode.

• If a positive voltage is applied before this, the presence of

minority charge carriers could retrigger the SCR, without the
need for an external gate current. However, this is not desired
in traditional switching operations.
• One of the major limitations of SCRs is the inability of the
device shut down through gate control.
 TURN ON METHODS OF SCR

Turning the SCR from forward blocking state to

forward conduction state is known as Triggering.
Various triggering methods of SCRs are:
• Froward voltage trigger
• Thermal or temperature trigger
• Radiation of light trigger
• dv/dt
• Gate
TURN ON METHODS OF SCR:
FROWARD VOLTAGE TRIGGER
• In this mode, an additional forward voltage is
applied between anode and cathode. When the
anode terminal is positive with respect to
cathode(VAK) , Junction J1 and J3 is forward
biased and junction J2 is reverse biased. No current
flows due to depletion region in J2 is reverse biased
(except leakage current).
• As VAK is further increased, at a voltage VBO
(Forward Break Over Voltage) the junction J2
undergoes avalanche breakdown and so a current
flows and the device tends to turn ON(even when
gate is open)
TURN ON METHODS OF SCR:
THERMAL (OR) TEMPERATURE TRIGGERING:

The width of depletion layer of SCR decreases with

increase in junction temperature. Therefore in SCR
when VAR is very near its breakdown voltage, the
device is triggered by increasing the junction
temperature. By increasing the junction temperature
the reverse biased junction collapses thus the device
starts to conduct.
TURN ON METHODS OF SCR:
RADIATION TRIGGERING (OR) LIGHT
TRIGGERING

For light triggered SCRs a special terminal niche is

made inside the inner P layer instead of gate
terminal. When light is allowed to strike this terminal,
free charge carriers are generated. When intensity of
light becomes more than a normal value, the thyristor
starts conducting. This type of SCRs are called as
LASCR
TURN ON METHODS OF SCR:
DV/DT TRIGGERING
When the device is forward biased, J1 and J3 are forward
biased, J2 is reverse biased. Junction J2 behaves as a
capacitor, due to the charges existing across the junction.
If voltage across the device is V, the charge by Q and
capacitance by C then,
• ic=dQ/dt
• Q=CV
• ic=d(CV)/dt=C.dV/dt+V.dC/dt
• as dC/dt = 0
• ic = C.dV/dt
Therefore when the rate of change of voltage across the
device becomes large, the device may turn ON, even if
the voltage across the device is small.
TURN ON METHODS OF SCR:
GATE TRIGGERING
This is most widely used SCR triggering method.
Applying a positive voltage between gate and
cathode can Turn ON a forward biased thyristor.
When a positive voltage is applied at the gate
terminal, charge carriers are injected in the inner P
layer, thereby reducing the depletion layer thickness.
As the applied voltage increases, the carrier injection
increases, therefore the voltage at which forward
breakover occurs decreases
COMMUTATION OF SCR

The term commutation basically means the transfer

of current from one path to another. It is not possible
for a thyristor to turn itself off . The circuit in which it is
connected must reduce the thyristor current to zero
to enable it to turn off.
Commutation is the term describe the method of
achieving this. Two methods are
: natural and forced
COMMUTATION OF SCR: NATURAL

• This widely used method of commutation makes use

of the alternating, reversing nature of ac voltage to
effect the current transfer. As the current passes
through natural zero, a reverse voltage will
simultaneously appear across the device. This
immediately turn off the device. This process is
called natural since no external circuit is required for
this purpose.
 COMMUTATION OF SCR: FORCED

In case of dc circuits, for switching off the thyristors,

the f o r w a r d c u r r e n t s h o u l d b e f o r c e d t o
b e z e r o b y m e a n s o f s o m e external circuits.
The process is called forced commutation.
GTO: GATE TURN OFF THYRISTOR

• The GTO is a thyristor type evice that can be turned on by a short

duration gate current if anode to cathode voltage is positive. In
addition it has the capability of being turned off by a negative
gate current pulse.
• The turn off capability of gto is due to the diversion of P-N-P
collector current by the gate, thus breaking the P-N-P/N-P-N
regenerative feedback effect.
• The turn off current gain of gto defined as ratio of anode current
prior to turn off to the negative gate current required to turn off is
very low, typically 4 to 5. this means a 6000A gto requires as high
as 1500A gate current pulse. However duratio of pulsed gate
current and the corresponding energy associatd with it is small
and can easily be supplied by low voltage power MOSFETs.
• GTOs are used in motor drives, static VAR compensators, AC/DC
power supplies with high power ratings.
• When large power GTOs became available the ousted the force-
commutayed voltage fed thyristor inverters.
MCTS: MOS CONTROLLED THYRISTORS

• As the name suggests, the MCT is a hybrid

device that can be turned on or off by
applying a voltage pulse at the gate terminal
of the device.
• The MCT is turned on by applying a negative
pulse at the gate terminal, relative to the
anode. This negative voltage turns on the
PMOS transistor M2, which provides the
necessary base current to the NPN transistor
Q1. Once Q1 is turned on, the regenerative
action between Q1 and Q2 causes the MCT to
conduct current. In order to turn off the MCT, a
positive voltage is applied to the gate terminal,
with respect to the anode. This turns on the
MOSFET M1, which interferes with the positive
feedback mechanism between the two BJTs.
As a result, the MCT is turned off.
TRIAC