What is a PUT and how does it compare to the original UJT?

The PUT is a Programmable Unijunction Transistor where the UJT is a Unijunction Transistor.

The UJT has what is called an Intrinsic Standoff Ratio that only let’s this device conduct (or switch states off to on) at 1 specific voltage level.

The PUT is called programmable but that only means you can scale where it fires or changes state to conducting. By simply putting a voltage divider on the Gate of the PUT you can easily shift the point of conduction with respect to the Anode/Cathode terminal voltage. These devices were commonly used in SCR Gate firing circuits to simplify circuit design. With a DC control voltage and an AC sync voltage a PUT and an amplifier to drive the gate pulse transformers your circuit was complete.

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