Abstract of the Disclosure

Thermally sensitive silicon thyristors capable of intrinsically switching between high and low resistance states in response to a predetermined temperature in the range -30° C to +150° C; this intrinsic switching temperature being not only lower than heretofore achieved but also predictably determinable. The two terminal breakover voltage is nominally equal to one-half Vmax at a temperature less than 50° C, where Vmax is the maximum value of the two terminal breakover voltage of the thyristor with respect to temperature.

• Figure 1 is a schematic of a generic embodiment of a switch constructed in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 2 is a graph of breakover voltage versus temperature, illustrating the temperature dependence of the breakover voltage of a switch constructed in accordance with the invention.

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