EE541/L INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS

Third Examination Coverage

 COVERAGE

 SHOCKLEY DIODE
 DIAC
 TRIAC
 OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES AND SENSORS
 AUTOMATIC WELDING SYSTEM
 SHOCKLEY DIODE

It is a four-layer pnpn diode with only two external terminals, as shown in
the figure below.
It is invented by William Shockley.
 SHOCKLEY DIODE

The characteristics of the device are exactly the same as those encountered
for the SCR with IG = 0.
As indicated by the characteristics, the device is in the off state until the
breakover voltage is reached, at which time avalanche conditions develop and
the device turns on.
 SHOCKLEY DIODE

When the voltage breakdown limit of one transistor is reached, it will

begin to conduct collector current even though no base current has gone
through it yet.
 SHOCKLEY DIODE

• As the upper transistor receives base current, it turns on as expected.

This action allows the lower transistor to conduct normally, the two
transistors “sealing” themselves in the “on” state. Full current is quickly
seen in the circuit
 SHOCKLEY DIODE

• Current is maintained even • If voltage drops too low, both

when voltage is reduced. transistors shut off.
• A latched Shockley diode is re-set
back into its nonconducting state
by reducing current through it
until low-current dropout occurs.
 SHOCKLEY DIODE

One common application of the Shockley diode is shown in figure below, where
it is employed as a trigger switch for an SCR.

When the circuit is energized, the voltage across the capacitor will begin to
change toward the supply voltage. Eventually, the voltage across the capacitor will
be sufficiently high to first turn on the Shockley diode and then the SCR.
 SHOCKLEY DIODE

In summary,
Shockley diodes are four-layer PNPN semiconductor devices. These
behave as a pair of interconnected PNP and NPN transistors.
Like all thyristors, Shockley diodes tend to stay on once turned
on (latched), and stay off once turned off.
To latch a Shockley diode exceed the anode-to-cathode
breakover voltage, or exceed the anode-to-cathode critical rate
of voltage rise.
To cause a Shockley diode to stop conducting, reduce the current
going through it to a level below its low-current dropout threshold.
 DIAC

Like all diodes, Shockley diodes are unidirectional devices.

If bidirectional (AC) operation is desired, two Shockley diodes may be joined
in parallel facing different directions to form a new kind of thyristor, the
DIAC.
DIAC is basically a two-terminal parallel-inverse combination of
semiconductor layers that permits triggering in either direction.
 DIAC

Once a DIAC becomes latched, it will continue to conduct current only

as long as voltage is available to push enough current in that direction.
When the AC polarity reverses, the DIAC will drop out due to
insufficient current, necessitating another breakover before it conducts
again. The result is the current waveform shown below,
 DIAC

The characteristics of the device, presented in the figure below, clearly

demonstrate that there is a breakover voltage in either direction.

This possibility of an ON condition in either direction can be used to its

fullest advantage in ac applications.
 DIAC

The DIAC, Diode AC bi-directional switch is widely used with TRIACs to

improve operation of alternating current power switching systems.
It is widely used to assist even triggering of a TRIAC when used in AC
switches.
DIACs are mainly used in dimmer applications and also in starter circuits for
florescent lamps.
The breakdown voltages are very close in magnitude but may vary from a
minimum of 28 V to a maximum of 42 V. They are related by the following
equation provided in the specification sheet:
 DIACS OPERATION

The DIAC is essentially a diode that conducts after a

'break-over' voltage, designated VBO, is exceeded.
When the device exceeds this break-over voltage, it
enters the region of negative dynamic resistance. This
results in a decrease in the voltage drop across the diode
with increasing voltage. Accordingly there is a sharp
increase in the level of current that is conducted by the
device.
Below the holding current, the DIAC reverts to its high-
resistance (non-conducting) state.
 DIAC APPLICATIONS

Typically the DIAC is placed in series with the gate

of a TRIAC.
DIACs are often used in conjunction with TRIACs
because these devices do not fire symmetrically as
a result of slight differences between the two
halves of the device. This results in harmonics being
generated.
The less symmetrical the device fires, the greater
the level of harmonics produced. It is generally
undesirable to have high levels of harmonics in a
power system.
 DIAC APPLICATIONS

This device helps make the switching more even

for both halves of the cycle.
This results from the fact that its switching
characteristic is far more even than that of the
TRIAC.
Since the DIAC prevents any gate current flowing
until the trigger voltage has reached a certain
voltage in either direction, this makes the firing
point of the TRIAC more even in both directions.
 TRIACS

 A TRIAC (TRIode for Alternating Current) is a 3-

terminal AC semiconductor switch.
 Composed of 2 thyristors facing opposite
directions such that it can conduct current in
either direction.
 MT1 and MT2 are current carrying terminals while
the Gate terminal is used for triggering by applying
a small voltage signal.
 Once triggered, it continues to conduct current
until the current falls below a threshold value.
 TRIAC

Triac has four possible triggering modes of

operation as follows:
• 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)
 TRIAC

The triac is fundamentally a diac with a gate terminal for controlling

the turn-on conditions of the bilateral device in either direction.
 In other words, for either direction the gate current can control the
action of the device in a manner very similar to that demonstrated
for an SCR.
The characteristics, however, of the triac in the first and third
quadrants are somewhat different from those of the diac, as shown.
Note the holding current in each direction not present in the
characteristics of the diac.
 REAL WORLD TRIACS

Come in various shapes

and sizes
Essentially all the same
operationally
Different mounting
schemes
 TRIAC APPLICATIONS

High Power TRIACS

Switching for AC circuits, allowing the control of very large power flows with
milliampere-scale control currents
Can eliminate mechanical wear in a relay

Low Power TRIACS

Light bulb dimmers (done by applying power later in the AC cycle aka PWM of
AC wave)
Motor speed controls for electric fans and other AC motors, and heaters
Modern computerized control circuits in household appliances
TRIAC APPLICATIONS

Phase Power Control

 In this capacity, it is controlling the ac power to
the load by switching on and off during the
positive and negative regions of input sinusoidal
signal.
 The advantage of this configuration is that during
the negative portion of the input signal, the same
type of response will result since both the diac
and triac can fire in the reverse direction.
 There are units available today that can handle in
excess of 10-kW loads.
 TRIAC APPLICATIONS

• The minimum firing angle at which triac will trigger is given by:

• The maximum firing angle possible is:

• Value of resistance:
TRIAC APPLICATIONS

Simple Triac Switch

 Small control
current/voltage
 Eliminates Mechanical
wear in a Relay
 Much Cheaper
 EXAMPLE

• In the phase control circuit shown in Fig.

E 5.1, obtain the maximum permissible
value of resistor R1 and the
corresponding firing angle. Diac and triac
ratings are:
 SEATWORK

Suppose a circuit shown below contains a diac with VBO = +-

32V. Suppose also that the resistor and capacitor sizes are
such that the firing angle = 75 degrees. Now if the 32-V diac is
removed and replaced by a 28-V diac but nothing else is
changed, what will happen to the firing delay angle? Why?