Eli5: What is a thyristor and how does it work?

Question

Eli5: What is a thyristor and how does it work?

In: 7

Answer 1

A thyristor is a piece of electronics that works in a “bistable” way: it keeps conducting when it receives a certain amount of current in its input, and stops conducting when the current reverses its direction. So it is a kind of switch, but without any moving part, and it can handle high voltages and currents.