Difference Between Transistor And Thyristor

What Is Transistor?

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical power. Transistors are one of the basic building blocks of modern electronics. It is composed of semiconductor material usually with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor’s terminal controls the current through another pair of terminals. Because the controlled input power, a transistor can amplify a signal.

What You Need To Know About Transistor

• Transistor is a three layer semiconductor device which is majorly used for amplification and switching.
• Transmitter is made up of three terminals, that is the emitter, base and collector.
• Ratings of a transistor are always in Watts, because a transistor can only withstand small output power.
• Transistors are suitable for high-frequency applications but not for high power applications.
• Transistor circuit does not require commutation circuit.
• A transistor is composed of 3 layers of semiconductor material,- P-type and N-type material (npn or pnp).
• When power transistors are used in the electronic circuits then, it reduces the overall cost of the system.
• Transistor does not exhibit surge current capacity characteristic thus is able to handle the only small rate of change of current.
• A transistor switches on fast, thus it exhibits faster turn-on time than that of the thyristor.
• The internal power losses in transistor are high when compared to the thyristor.
• The transistor circuit is less bulky than a transistor circuit.
• The voltage and current rating of the transistor is low in comparison to that of the thyristor.

What Is Thyristor?

A thyristor is a four-layered, three-junction semiconductor switching device. It has three terminals anode, cathode and gate. Thyristor is also a unidirectional device like a diode, which means it flows current only in one direction. It consists of three PN junctions in series as is of four layers.

Thyristor acts exclusively as a bistable switch, conducting when the gate receives a current trigger, and continuing to conduct the voltage across until the device is reversed biased or until the voltage is removed (by some other means). There are two designs, differing in what triggers the conducting state. in a three-lead thyristor, a small current on its Gate lead controls the larger current of the Anode to Cathode path. In a two-lead thyristor, conduction begins when the potential difference between the Anode and Cathode themselves is sufficiently large (breakdown voltage).

What You Need To Know About Thyristor

• Thyristor is a four layer semiconductor device which is used for rectification and switching.
• Thyristor is made up of three terminals that is the anode, cathode and gate terminal.
• Thyristor has an excellent ability to manage large power than transistor thus it is rated in Kilowatts.
• Thyristor are suitable for high power applications but not for high frequency applications.
• Thyristor circuit requires commutation circuit.
• Thyristor is composed of 4 layers of semiconductor material in which P-type material and the N-type material is connected in alternative manner that is pnpn.
• The use of thyristor in circuits increases the overall cost of the system.
• A thyristor exhibits surge current characteristic and hence can bear a comparatively high rate of change of current than a transistor.
• A thyristor does not switches on fast, thus it exhibits low turn-on time than that of the transistor. 
• The internal power losses in the thyristor are relatively low as compared to the transistor.
• The thyristor circuit is bulky than a transistor circuit.
• The voltage and current rating of the thyristor is high due to its fabrication and design architecture.

Also Read: Difference Between SCR And TRIAC

Difference Between Transistor And Thyristor In Tabular Form