Thyristors are a class of semiconductor components exhibiting hysteresis, that property whereby a system fails to return to its original state…
If you\'ve ever witnessed a lightning storm, you\'ve seen electrical hysteresis in action (and probably didn\'t realize what you were…
Our exploration of thyristors begins with a device called the four-layer diode, also known as a PNPN diode, or a Shockley diode after its…
Like bipolar transistors, SCRs and TRIACs are also manufactured as light-sensitive devices, the action of impinging light replacing the function…
Unijunction transistor: Although a unijunction transistor is not a thyristor, this device can trigger larger thyristors with a pulse at base…
If we take the equivalent circuit for an SCR and add another external terminal, connected to the base of the…
Two relatively recent technologies designed to reduce the "driving" (gate trigger current) requirements of classic thyristor devices are the MOS-gated thyristor and…
Like all diodes, Shockley diodes are unidirectional devices; that is, these only conduct current in one direction. If bidirectional (AC)…
Shockley diodes are curious devices, but rather limited in application. Their usefulness may be expanded, however, by equipping them with…
SCRs are unidirectional (one-way) current devices, making them useful for controlling DC only. If two SCRs are joined in back-to-back…
