Triac

Triac
• It is a gate-triggered type of thyristor.

• Its name was probably derived from the phrase

“triode for AC,”

• Because it is not an acronym, it is not usually

capitalized.
 Triac
• The triac is ubiquitous in AC dimmers for incandescent
lamps.

• It is also used to control the speed of AC motors and the

output of resistive heating elements.

• It contains five segments of p-type and n-type silicon

and has three leads, one of them attached to a gate
that can switch a bidirectional flow of current between
the other two
Triac
 Triac
• When no gate voltage is applied, the triac remains in a
passive state and will block current in either direction
between A1 and A2

• Although a very small amount of leakage typically

occurs.

• If the gate potential becomes sufficiently positive or

negative relative to terminal A1, current can begin to
flow between A1 and A2 in either direction
 Triac
• While a gate voltage is applied, four operating
modes are possible.

• In each case, A1 is the reference (which can be

thought of as being held at a neutral ground value).

• Because the triac is conducting AC, voltages above

and below ground will occur.
 Quadrant 1 A2 is more positive than A1, and the gate is
more positive than A1. Conventional current (positive to
negative) will flow from A2 to A1. (This behavior is very
similar to that of an SCR.)

Quadrant 2 (upper left)A2 is more positive than A1, and

the gate is more negative than A1. Once again,
conventional current (positive to negative) will flow from
A2 to A1.

Quadrant 3 (lower left)A2 is more negative than A1, and

the gate is more negative than A1. Conventional current is
reversed from A1 to A2.

Quadrant 4 (lower right)A2 is more negative than A1, but

the gate is more positive than A1. Conventional current is
reversed from A1 to A2.
Note that two positive symbols or two negative symbols in Figure 3-6 do not mean that both locations
are of equal voltage. They simply mean that these locations are at potentials that are significantly
different from A1.
 Triac
• Suppose that gate current increases gradually.

• When it reaches the gate threshold current of the

triac the component starts conducting between A1
and A2.

• If the current between A1 and A2 rises above the

value known as the latching current, it will continue
to flow, even if gate current disappears completely.
• If the self-sustaining current through the triac
gradually diminishes, while there is no voltage
applied to the gate, conduction between the main
terminals will stop spontaneously when it falls below
a level known as the holding current.

• The triac is sufficiently sensitive to respond to rapid

fluctuations, as in 50Hz or 60Hz AC.
Test circuit
Breakover voltage

The solid curve shows current

passing between A1 and A2
in a hypothetical triac, for
varying voltages, while
triggering voltage is applied
to the gate. The dashed
curve assumes that no
triggering voltage is applied
to the gate. The numbers in
yellow squares are the
quadrants of triac operation.
Triggering by a diac
 Drivers
• Simple on-off control can be achieved by using a
special optocoupler such as the MOC3162 by
Fairchild Semiconductor. This emits a switching signal
to a triac only when the AC voltage passes through
zero. A zero cross circuit is desirable because it
creates much less interference. The use of an
optocoupler helps to isolate the triac from other
components.
 Drivers
• Phase control can be achieved using an
optocoupler such as the H11L1, which can be driven
by rectified but unsmoothed AC after it passes
through a Zener diode to limit the voltage. The
output from the optocoupler is logic-compatible
and can be connected with the input to a timer
such as the 555, set to one-shot mode. Each pulse
from the timer passes through another optocoupler
such as the MOC3023, which uses an internal LED to
trigger the gate of a triac.
 Drivers
• Yet another possibility is to use the programmed
output from a microcontroller, through an
optocoupler, to control the gate of a triac. An online
search for the terms “microcontroller” and “triac” will
provide some additional suggestions.
 Project
• Implement a Moc-Triac Circuit for resistive load

• Build in phenolic bakelite sheet

• This must be presented the second class og the next

week.

• Every day after you Will lose ten points.