SCR, POWER MOSFET’S

What is an SCR
• Scr stands for silicon controlled rectifier.
• A silicon controlled rectifier is a semiconductor
device that acts as a true electronic switch. it can
change alternating current and at the same time
can control the amount of power fed to the
load. SCR combines the features of a rectifier and a
transistor.
• It was first introduced in 1956 by Bell Telephone
Laboratories.
 A Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) is a four
layer solid state device that controls current
flow. SCR is a three terminal device.
The terminals are:
Gate (G)
Anode (A)
Cathode (K)
 Basic SCR structure
• The SCR consists of a four layer p-n-p-n
structure with the outer layers are referred to as
the anode (ptype) and cathode (n-type). The
control terminal of the SCR is named the gate
and it is connected to the p-type layer located
next to the cathode.
• The three junctions are normally denoted as J1,
J2, and J3. They are numbered serially with J1
being nearest to the anode.
 Working of SCR
• When anode is positive with respect to cathode
. Then SCR is said to be forward bias.
• When anode is negative with respect to
cathode . Then SCR is said to be reverse bias.
• SCR works in three modes:
 Forward Blocking Mode.
 Forward Conduction Mode.
 Reverse Blocking Mode.
 What happens in Forward and
Reverse bias.
• In forward bias:
o Anode is positive with respect to Cathode.
J1 and J3 = Forward Bias
J2 = Reverse Bias.
• In reverse bias :
o Anode is negative with respect to Cathode.
J1 and J3 = Reverse Bias
J2 = Forward Bias.
 Modes of Operation

• There are three modes of operation for

an scr depending upon the biasing given to it.

Forward blocking mode

Forward Conduction mode
Reverse blocking mode
Forward blocking mode
• In this mode of operation anode is
given a positive potential while
cathode is given negative voltage
keeping gate at zero potential i.e.
disconnected.
• In this case junction J1 and J3 are
forward biased while J2 is reversed
biased due to which only a small
leakage current flows from anode to
cathode till applied voltage reaches it
break over value at which J2
undergoes breakdown and at this break
over voltage it starts conducting but
below break over voltage it offers very
high resistance to the flow of current
through to it and said to be in off state.
Forward Conduction Mode:
• Anode is positive with respect to cathode.
• But after the breakdown of J2 junction, high amount of
current flow from anode to cathode.
• This forward conduction mode can be controlled by gate
current, so increase in gate current will make forward
triggering of scr from anode to cathode will be earlier.

Reverse Blocking Mode :

• Now scr is in reverse bias, anode is negative with respect to
cathode.
• So J1 and J3 are in reverse bias, J2 is forward bias so due to
J1 and J3 in reverse bias, minor current flow from anode to
cathode.
 Characteristics of SCR
In forward bias:

• Initially SCR is in forward bias, so voltage

increases in FB, so very minor current
flow(generally it is in micro amp).

• After the breakdown of J2 junction in FB, that

voltage is called forward break over voltage, then
suddenly voltage across scr decreases, then after
current increases.
 In Reverse Bias:
• Anode is negative with respect to cathode.
• J1 and J3 is in reverse bias so current is very
less.
• After having breakdown of J1 and J3 junction
high amount of current start to flow similar to
diode characteristics.
• That voltage is called Reverse Breakdown
Voltage.
 POWER MOSFET
• These have high switching frequency upto
100khz.
• Advantage over BJT is that, BJT is a current
controlled device. Collector current is
dependent on base current.
• Hence the current is highly dependent on the
junction temperature which affects the output
current, which is not there in power mosfets.
 Sio2 layer is used to
create capacitance

Sio2 thickness is
Drift layer: around 0.1um
Improves switching speed
Increases voltage handling capacity
 Features of power mosfets
• Low input current
• Voltage controlled device
• High switching speed
• High input impedance
• Active Device
 Working of power mosfet
• Positive terminal is connected to the gate and
negative terminal of the battery is connected to
the body. Let us consider as to be Vgs.
• So due to this connection positive charge
carrier generation takes place near the gate
terminal and similarly negative charge in the p
type layer.
• Now as Vgs increases, negative charge carriers
also increases and further Vgs is increased so
more negative carriers is formed.
• Due to these negative charge carriers, channel
is formed and that channel is known as
induced or inversion layer.
• Now Vds is connected, since channel is formed
there is a flow of current.
• If there is no channel formed, that region is
called depletion region, therefore no flow of
current.
• So as Vgs increases Id also increases. Power
mosfet is a controlled by gate voltage. So it is
called voltage controlled device.
 I-V characteristics
• Transfer characteristics.
• Output characteristics