DIACS

The DIAC, or diode for alternating current, is a trigger diode that conducts current
only after its breakdown voltage has been exceeded momentarily. When this occurs,
the resistance of the diode abruptly decreases, leading to a sharp decrease in the
voltage drop across the diode and, usually, a sharp increase in current flow through
the diode. The diode remains "in conduction" until the current flow through it drops
below a value characteristic for the device, called the holding current. Below this
value, the diode switches back to its high-resistance (non-conducting) state. This
behavior is bidirectional, meaning typically the same for both directions of current
flow.

Typical Diac voltage and current relationships. Once the voltage exceeds the turn-on
threshold, the device turns on and the voltage rapidly falls while the current increases.

Most DIACs have a breakdown voltage around 30 V. In this way, their behavior is
somewhat similar to (but much more precisely controlled and taking place at lower
voltages than) a neon lamp.

DIACs have no gate electrode, unlike some other thyristors they are commonly used
to trigger, such as TRIACs. Some TRIACs contain a built-in DIAC in series with the
TRIAC's "gate" terminal for this purpose.
DIACs are also called symmetrical trigger diodes due to the symmetry of their
characteristic curve. Because DIACs are bidirectional devices, their terminals are not
labeled as anode and cathode but as A1 and A2 or MT1 ("Main Terminal") and MT2.

A diac is a two-electrode, three-layer bidirectional avalanche diode that can

be switched from the off state to the on state for either polarity of applied
voltage.
Fig. 18 shows the junction diagram and schematic symbol for a diac; Fig. 19 shows
the voltage-current characteristic.

This three-layer trigger diode is similar in construction to a bipolar transistor, but

differs from it in that the doping concentrations at the two junctions are approximately
the same and there is no contact made to the base layer. The equal doping levels result
in a symmetrical bidirectional switching characteristic, as shown in Fig. 19. When.
an increasing positive or negative voltage is applied across the terminals of the diac, a
minimum (leakage) current I (BO)flows through the device until the voltage reaches the
breakover point V(BO). The reverse-biased junction then undergoes avalanche
breakdown and, beyond this point, the device exhibits a negative-resistance
characteristic, i.e., current through the device increases substantially with
decreasing voltage.

Diacs are primarily used as triggering devices in thyristor phase-control circuits used
for light dimming, universal motor-speed control, heat control, and similar
applications. Fig. 20 shows the general circuit diagram for a diac/triac phase-control
circuit.

Diacs are bidirectional diodes that switch AC voltages and trigger silicon controlled
rectifiers (SCRs) and triacs. SCRs are four-layer (PNPN) thyristors with an input
terminal (gate), an output terminal (anode), and a common terminal (cathode) for both
the input and output. Triacs are three-terminal silicon devices that function as two
SCRs configured in an inverse, parallel arrangement, so as to provide load current
during both halves of the AC supply voltage. Diacs, which are similar to open base
NPN transistors, exhibit a high-impedance blocking state up to a voltage breakover
point above which negative resistance is achieved. Except for a small leakage amount,
diacs do not conduct current until a breakover voltage is attained. Because they are
bidirectional, diacs are used as firing devices in phase control such as light dimmers
and motion speed controls.
Performance specifications for diacs include breakover voltage, breakover voltage
symmetry, breakover current, output voltage, repetitive peak on-state current, and
power dissipation. Breakover voltage (VBO), the voltage at which diacs begin to
conduct, is measured between the input and output terminals when diacs switch
on. Breakover voltage symmetry ( VBO) is the maximum breakover voltage range with
a specified capacitance when diacs are connected in parallel. Measured during the
“on” state, output voltage (VO) is the voltage across a 20-ohm resistor in series with a
diac during the discharge of a specified capacitor. Repetitive peak on-state current
(ITRM) is the maximum limiting peak on-state current, including all repetitive transient
currents, for which diacs are rated. Power dissipation (Pd) is the power dissipated by
diacs during the “on” state.

Diac

A diac is a form of solid-state switch used to switch AC voltage; it belongs

to the class of switches known as thyristers. It is like a junction transistor
without a base lead (it is a two-lead device) and accomplishes its
switching action by breakdown at a certain voltage. There are also four
layer devices with a similar mode of operation known as four-layer
diodes.

Triac