Fast thyristors are used in static power converters, and in various DC and AC power units with a frequency of up to 5,000 Hz, where short on/off switching intervals are required; in various types of electric welding equipment, in frequency converters for electrothermics, in traction systems of electric locomotives and electrified urban transport vehicles, in air ozonizers, in generators, and in modulators.

Thyristors are used in DC and AC converters with an operating frequency of up to 1,000 Hz, in inverting and switching circuits of converter setups for electric locomotives and other types of electrically propelled vehicles, in power rectifiers for electroplating baths, for charging batteries, in high-voltage rectifier-inverter units of DC transmission line substations, and in aircraft de-icing equipment.

Avalanche diodes are rectifier diodes with controlled avalanching allowing power pulse to dissipate in the breakdown region of the reverse volt-ampere curve within a limited period of time.
These diodes are used in DC and AC circuits with frequency of up to 500 Hz, and in general purpose electrical and electronic devices.
Avalanche diodes can eliminate or considerably simplify overvoltage protection circuits in converters, especially in case of a large number of series connected diodes.