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SCR (thyristor) latching
Electronic Devices Lab · free online experiment, runs in your browser with no install or sign-up.
Open this experiment in the circuit simulator
Objective
Trigger an SCR with a short gate pulse and see it stay on after the gate returns to zero.
Procedure
- Run and compare the gate pulse with the load current.
- Reduce the supply to 1 V: the SCR cannot latch.
Theory
Once the anode current exceeds the latching/holding current, the SCR stays conducting until the anode current drops below the holding current. A 1 ms pulse at t = 3 ms switches on 120 mA of load current for the rest of the run.
Questions to answer
- How is a SCR turned off in a DC circuit?
Components used
2N5064 SCR, Battery / DC source, Function generator (square), Oscilloscope (2-channel), 2 × Resistor 220 ohm 1/4W
About the model
Ideal wires; component models as listed in the catalogue (no parasitics, no temperature drift). Built without a breadboard so the schematic stays readable.
Open this experiment in the circuit simulator