INTRODUCTION TO OTHER

ELECTRONIC DEVICES
By Nazri Anuar
Electrical Enggineering Department
SILICON CONTROLLED RECTIFIER
(SCR)

 An SCR consist of four layers of alternating P

and N type semiconductor materials.

 As the terminology indicates, the SCR is a

rectifier constructed of silicon material with a
third terminal for control purposes.

 Silicon was chosen because of its high

temperature and power capabilities.
PHYSICAL STRUCTURE & SCHEMATIC
DIAGRAM
SCR MODES OF OPERATION

 In the normal "off" state, the device restricts

current to the leakage current.

 When the gate-to-cathode voltage exceeds a

certain threshold, the device turns "on" and
conducts current.

 The device will remain in the "on" state even

after gate current is removed so long as
current through the device remains above
the holding current.
CONT’D

 Once current falls below the holding current

for an appropriate period of time, the device
will switch "off".

 If the gate is pulsed and the current through

the device is below the holding current, the
device will remain in the "off" state.
SCR APPLICATION

 Mainly used in devices where the control of

high power, possibly coupled with high
voltage, is demanded.

 Suitable for use in medium to high-voltage

AC power control applications, such as lamp
dimming, regulators and motor control.

 SCRs and similar devices are used for

rectification of high power AC in high-voltage
direct current power transmission.
DIAC

 The DIAC, or 'diode for alternating current',

is a diode that conducts current only after its
break-over voltage has been reached
momentarily.

 The diac is basically a two-terminal parallel-

inverse combination of semiconductor layers
that permits triggering in either direction.
DIAC SCHEMATIC SYMBOL

A1

A2
CONT’D

 DIACs are also called symmetrical trigger

diodes due to the symmetry of their
characteristic curve.

 Because DIACs are bidirectional devices,

their terminals are not labeled as anode and
cathode but as A1 and A2 or MT1 ("Main
Terminal") and MT2.
DIAC APPLICATION

 The diacs, because of their symmetrical

bidirectional switching characteristics, are widely
used as triggering devices in triac phase control
circuits employed for lamp dimmer, heat control,
universal motor speed control etc.
TRIAC

 TRIAC, from Triode for Alternating Current,

is a genericized tradename for an electronic
component which can conduct current in either
direction when it is triggered (turned on).

 The triac is fundamentally a diac with a gate

terminal for controlling the turn-on conditions
of the bilateral device in either direction.

 For either direction the gate current can

control the action of the device in a manner
very similar to that demonstrated for an SCR.
TRIAC SCHEMATIC SYMBOL
CONT’D

 It can be triggered by either a positive or a

negative voltage being applied to
its gate electrode.

 Once triggered, the device continues to conduct

until the current through it drops below a certain
threshold value, the holding current, such as at the
end of a half-cycle of alternating current(AC) mains
power.

 This makes the TRIAC a very convenient switch for

AC circuits, allowing the control of very large power
flows with milliampere-scale control currents.
TRIAC APPLICATION

 Low power TRIACs are used in many

applications such as light dimmers, speed
controls for electric fans and other electric
motors.

 In the modern computerized control circuits

of many household small and major
appliances.
UJT (UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR)

 A unijunction transistor (UJT) is
an electronic semiconductor device that has
only one junction.
 A slab of lightly doped (increased resistance
characteristic) n-type silicon material has two
base contacts attached to both ends of one
surface and an aluminum rod alloyed to the
opposite surface.
 The p-n junction of the device is formed at
the boundary of the aluminum rod and the n-
type silicon slab.

 The single p-n junction accounts for the

terminology unijunction.
UJT APPLICATION

 The most important applications of UJTs or

PUTs is to trigger thyristors (SCR, TRIAC,
etc.).

 DC voltage can be used to control a UJT

circuit such that the "on-period" increases
with an increase in the DC control voltage.
This application is important for large AC
current control.

 UJTs can also be used to measure magnetic

flux.