BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Name: Montano, Charles Rainier

Course/Year/Section: ECE – 3B

Experiment No. 2
DIAC V-I Characteristics

✎Objectives

1. Describe the basic structure and operation of the DIAC.

2. Explain the operation of the DIAC.
3. To obtain V-l characteristics of DIAC & plot the graph.

☑ Materials
Name of the apparatus/
No. Range/Rating Quantity
equipment/ components
1 DIAC (1N5758) 1 pc
2 Variable D.C Supply 0-50 V 1 pc
3 Ammeter/ Multimeter 0-5 A 1 pc
4 Resistor 1kΩ 1pc
5 Potentiometer 1kΩ 1pc

☑ VI Characteristics

The DIAC, or “diode for alternating current” is a diode that conducts current
only after its breakover voltage has been reached momentarily. When this occurs, the
diode enters the 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. 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.

Most DIACs have a three-layer structure with breakover voltage around 30 V. In

this way, their behavior is somewhat similar to (but much more precisely controlled and

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 BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY
CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

taking place at lower voltages than) a neon lamp. DIACs have no gate electrode, unlike
some other thyristors that they are commonly used to trigger, such as TRIACs. Some
TRIACs, like Quadrac, contain a built-in DIAC in series with the TRIACs “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.

Figure 1. VI Characteristics of DIAC

Figure 2. DIAC Circuit Diagram

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 BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY
CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

☑ Procedure

1. Connections are given as shown in the circuit diagram.

2. Set the potentiometer at 50%.
3. Put an ammeter in series with the DIAC and voltmeter in parallel with the DIAC.
4. By varying supply voltage (V1) with an increment of 2.5V (from 0-50V), note
down the ammeter and voltage readings.
5. Repeat Step 4 (Reversed-bias the V1)
6. Plot the graph.
☑ Tabular Column

V1 Voltage (VF) Current (I)

0V 0V 0A
2.5V 2.497 V 1.786 uA
5V 4.995 V 3.573 uA
7.5V 7.492 V 5.359 uA
10V 9.989 V 7.145 uA
12.5V 12.487 V 8.932 uA
15V 14.984 V 10.718 uA
17.5V 17.481 V 12.504 uA
20V 19.979 V 14.291 uA
22.5V 22.476 V 16.077 uA
25V 607.75 mV 16.261 mA
27.5V 610.268 mV 17.926 mA
30V 612.563 mV 19.592 mA
32.5V 614.67 mV 21.257 mA
35V 616.619 mV 22.922 mA
37.5V 618.431 mV 24.588 mA
40V 620.124 mV 26.253 mA
42.5V 621.713 mV 27.919 mA
45V 623.21 mV 29.585 mA
47.5V 624.625 mV 31.25 mA
50V 625.966 mV 32.916 mA
V1 Voltage (VR) Current (I)
0V 0V 0A
-2.5V -2.497 V -1.786 uA
-5V -4.995 V -3.573 uA
-7.5V -7.492 V -5.359 uA

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 BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY
CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

-10V -9.989 V -7.145 uA

-12.5V -12.487 V -8.932 uA
-15V -14.984 V -10.718 uA
-17.5V -17.481 V -12.504 uA
-20V -19.979 V -14.291 uA
-22.5V -22.476 V -16.077 uA
-25V -607.75 mV -16.261 mA
-27.5V -610.268 mV -19.592 mA
-30V -612.563 mV -17.926 mA
-32.5V -614.67 mV -21.257 mA
-35V -616.619 mV -21.257 mA
-37.5V -618.431 mV -24.588 mA
-40V -620.124 mV -26.253 mA
-42.5V -621.713 mV -27.919 mA
-45V -623.21 mV -29.585 mA
-47.5V -624.625 mV -31.25 mA
-50V 625.966 mV -32.916 mA

☑ Plot

Self-Test

1. DIAC resembles a bipolar transistor with no base connection. Justify the

statement.

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 BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY
CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

2. Write three specifications of DIAC.

3. DIAC is not a controlling device. Give a reason.

4. Write two applications of DIAC.

 It can be used in the lamp dimmer circuit
 It is used in a heat control circuit.

5. Write two differences between DIAC and SCR

The “Diac” is a thyristor that functions similarly to two back-to-back 4-layer diodes. It has the
ability to conduct current in either direction. Because it is bidirectional, it is also essentially a
two-terminal device, with equivalent terminals labeled A1 and A2. After the breakdown voltage
is reached, the diac conducts current. At that point, the diac enters avalanche conduction,
producing a current pulse large enough to trigger another thyristor (an SCR or triac). As long
as the current is greater than the holding current, IH, the diac remains in conduction. While a
"SCR" is a four-layer three-terminal PNPN semiconductor switching device with three PN-

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 BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY
CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Junctions. SCR allows current in one direction but opposes it in the other. Because it is a
unidirectional device. SCRs have an on/off switch built in, and its switching is controlled by
biasing conditions and a gate input terminal. The SCR can be activated by exceeding the
forward breakover voltage or by increasing the gate current.

☑ Conclusion

Screenshot of circuit experiment on Multisim:

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