What Are the Differences Between SCR and Triac?

Silicon Controlled Rectifier

• An SCR is a modified diode. A diode is a device that conducts electricity in one direction, blocking it from going the other way. The diode is a two-lead device; the leads are called the cathode and the anode. The SCR has a third lead called the gate. Normally, the device does not conduct until it receives a voltage at the gate; then it remains on until the voltage across the cathode and anode drops past a critical point. It can switch large currents many thousands of times per second.

Triac

• A triac, like an SCR, has three leads and acts as a current switch. Its construction and operation are somewhat more complex than an SCR's, as it conducts electricity in two directions. This makes the triac more useful in alternating current (AC) circuits than an SCR, as the current direction for AC changes 120 times per second.

Symmetry

• Though a triac conducts in both directions, it conducts somewhat unequally for each direction. The SCR, when turned on, conducts in only one direction. The asymmetry of the triac's conduction complicates its use. As an AC circuit turns a triac on and off, the resulting waveform's positive and negative cycles become uneven, producing harsh electrical noise and interference.

Uses

• Electric power control equipment, such as lamp dimmers and energy-saving circuits in appliances, might use either triacs or SCRs, depending on the circuit design. High-power industrial equipment uses SCRs. As a pair of SCRs can emulate a triac, and with fewer symmetry problems, designers prefer these devices in high-voltage and high-current environments. The switching asymmetry in triacs limits their use to lower-power applications.