Triac

SCR can be used to control lamps, motors, or heaters etc. However, one of the
problems of using a SCR for controlling such circuits is that like a diode, the
“SCR” is a unidirectional device, meaning that it passes current in one direction
only, from Anode to Cathode.

Circuits like shown below

can be used to obtain full-
wave power control in two-
directions but this increases
both the complexity and
number of components used
in the switching circuit.

a “Triode AC Switch”
or Triac for short which is also a member of the thyristor family that be used as
a solid-state power switching device but more importantly it is a “bidirectional”
device.

In other words, a Triac can be triggered into conduction by both positive and
negative voltages applied to its Anode and with both positive and negative trigger
pulses applied to its Gate terminal making it a two-quadrant switching Gate
controlled device.

A Triac behaves just like two conventional thyristors connected together in

inverse parallel (back-to-back) with respect to each other and because of this

13
arrangement the two thyristors share a common Gate terminal all within a
single three-terminal package.

Mode_1 Mode_2

Mode_3 Mode_4

14
Four modes in which a Triac can be operated are shown using the Triacs I-V
characteristics curves.
 Ι + Mode = MT2 current positive (+ve), Gate current positive (+ve)
 Ι – Mode = MT2 current positive (+ve), Gate current negative (-ve)
 ΙΙΙ + Mode = MT2 current negative (-ve), Gate current positive (+ve)
 ΙΙΙ – Mode = MT2 current negative (-ve), Gate current negative (-ve)

In Quadrant Ι, the Triac is usually triggered into conduction by a positive gate

current, labelled above as mode Ι+. But it can also be triggered by a negative gate
current, mode Ι–.

Similarly, in Quadrant ΙΙΙ, triggering with a negative gate current, –ΙG is also
common, mode ΙΙΙ– along with mode ΙΙΙ+. Modes Ι– and ΙΙΙ+ are, however, less
sensitive configurations requiring a greater gate current to cause triggering than
the more common Triac triggering modes of Ι+ and ΙΙΙ–.

Diac
The DIAC is a diode that conducts electrical current only after its
breakover voltage, VBO, has been reached momentarily. When breakdown
occurs, the diode enters a region of negative dynamic resistance, leading to a
decrease in the voltage drop across the diode and, usually, a sharp increase in
current through the diode. The diode remains in conduction until the current
through it drops below a value characteristic for the device, called the holding
current, IH. Below this value, the diode switches back to its high-resistance, non-

15
conducting state. This behavior is bidirectional, meaning typically the same for
both directions of current. Most DIACs have a three-layer structure with
breakover voltage of approximately 30 V.

Triac and Diac Applications

A common type of Triac switching circuit
uses phase control to vary the amount of
voltage, and therefore power applied to a
load, in this case a motor, for both the
positive and negative halves of the input
waveform. This type of AC motor speed
control gives a fully variable and linear control
because the voltage can be adjusted from zero to
the full applied voltage as shown.

This basic phase triggering circuit uses the Triac

in series with the motor across an AC sinusoidal
supply. The variable resistor, VR1 is used to
control the amount of phase shift on the gate of
the Triac which in turn controls the amount of voltage applied to the motor
by turning it ON at different times during the AC cycle.
The Triac’s triggering voltage is derived from the VR1 – C1 combination via
the Diac (The diac is a bidirectional semiconductor device that helps provide a
sharp trigger current pulse to fully turn-ON the triac).
At the start of each cycle, C1 charges up via the variable resistor, VR1. This
continues until the voltage across C1 is sufficient to trigger the diac into
conduction which in turn allows capacitor, C1 to discharge into the gate of the

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IGBT Basic Structure and Working

The metal oxide semiconductor insulated gate transistor or IGBT combines the advantages of
BJT’s and MOSFET’s. Therefore an IGBT has high input impedance like a MOSFET and
low-on state power loss as in a BJT. Further IGBT is free from second breakdown problem
present in BJT.

2.7.1 IGBT Basic Structure and Working

VG
E G

Emitter Gate Emitter

Metal
Load Silicon
- - - - - - -
+++++++
+ -- -- - -- + dioxide
n + + n
n n J3
p p

VCC -
J2
-
n n
+ + J1
p substrate p

Current path Metal layer

C Collector

It is constructed virtually in the same manner as a power MOSFET. However, the substrate is
now a p + layer called the collector.

When gate is positive with respect to positive with respect to emitter and with gate emitter
voltage greater than VGSTH , an n channel is formed as in case of power MOSFET. This
n − channel short circuits the n − region with n + emitter regions.

An electron movement in the n − channel in turn causes substantial hole injection from
p + substrate layer into the epitaxially n − layer. Eventually a forward current is established.

The three layers p + , n − and p constitute a pnp transistor with p + as emitter, n − as base and
p as collector. Also n − , p and n + layers constitute a npn transistor. The MOSFET is formed

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with input gate, emitter as source and n − region as drain. Equivalent circuit is as shown
below.

E G

+ + + +
G
n n S n n
D
J3
npn
p

- J2
pnp n
J1
+
p substrate

Also p serves as collector for pnp device and also as base for npn transistor. The two pnp and
npn is formed as shown.

When gate is applied (VGS > VGSth ) MOSFET turns on. This gives the base drive to T1 .
Therefore T1 starts conducting. The collector of T1 is base of T2 . Therefore regenerative
action takes place and large number of carriers are injected into the n − drift region. This
reduces the ON-state loss of IGBT just like BJT.
When gate drive is removed IGBT is turn-off. When gate is removed the induced channel
will vanish and internal MOSFET will turn-off. Therefore T1 will turn-off it T2 turns off.

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Structure of IGBT is such that R1 is very small. If R1 small T1 will not conduct therefore
IGBT’s are different from MOSFET’s since resistance of drift region reduces when gate
drive is applied due to p + injecting region. Therefore ON state IGBT is very small.

2.7.2 Static Characteristics

Fig.2.22: IGBT bias circuit

Static V-I characteristics ( I C versus VCE )

Same as in BJT except control is by VGE . Therefore IGBT is a voltage controlled

device.
Transfer Characteristics ( I C versus VGE )

Identical to that of MOSFET. When VGE < VGET , IGBT is in off-state.

Applications
Widely used in medium power applications such as DC and AC motor drives, UPS systems,
Power supplies for solenoids, relays and contractors.

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Though IGBT’s are more expensive than BJT’s, they have lower gate drive requirements,
lower switching losses. The ratings up to 1200V, 500A.

2.8 di dt and dv dt Limitations

Transistors require certain turn-on and turn-off times. Neglecting the delay time t d
and the storage time ts , the typical voltage and current waveforms of a BJT switch is shown
below.

During turn-on, the collector rise and the di dt is

di I L I cs
= = ...(1)
dt tr tr
During turn off, the collector emitter voltage must rise in relation to the fall of the
collector current, and is

dv Vs Vcc
= = ...(2)
dt t f tf

The conditions di dt and dv dt in equation (1) and (2) are set by the transistor
switching characteristics and must be satisfied during turn on and turn off. Protection circuits
are normally required to keep the operating di dt and dv dt within the allowable limits of
transistor. A typical switch with di dt and dv dt protection is shown in figure (a), with
operating wave forms in figure (b). The RC network across the transistor is known as the
snubber circuit or snubber and limits the dv dt . The inductor LS , which limits the di dt , is
sometimes called series snubber.

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Let us assume that under steady state conditions the load current I L is freewheeling through
diode Dm , which has negligible reverse reco`very time. When transistor Q1 is turned on, the
collector current rises and current of diode Dm falls, because Dm will behave as short
circuited. The equivalent circuit during turn on is shown in figure below

The turn on di dt is
di Vs
= ...(3)
dt Ls
Equating equations (1) and (3) gives the value of Ls
Vs tr
Ls = ...(4)
IL
During turn off, the capacitor Cs will charge by the load current and the equivalent
circuit is shown in figure. The capacitor voltage will appear across the transistor and the
dv dt is
dv I L
= ...(5)
dt Cs

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