EP0081642A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multicellular thyristor
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1982-10-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-10-04
Abstract
Abstract A four-region semiconductor device (that is, a p-n-p-n or n-p-n-p device) including at least one further region utilizes integral FET structure for diverting carriers away from an interior region of the device and shunting them to a main current-carrying electrode of the device, whereby the device is provided with a turn-off capability. The device requires only a small amount of energy for its turn-off control gate, and utilizes a high percentage of its semiconductor body for carrying current through the device. High speed turn-off is achieved in a particular embodiment of the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Victor Albert Keith Temple
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:57
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D18/00; H10D18/60; H10D18/65; H10D18/655; H10D62/00; H10D62/10; H10D62/13; H10D62/141; H10D62/142; H10D62/148
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
A semiconductor device characterized by a) a body (11; 87) of semiconductor material including first, second, third and fourth regions (12 to 15; 91, 92; 94, 95; 112 to 115, 123) successively joined together in the foregoing order; said first region (12; 91; 94; 112) being separated from said third and fourth regions by said second region (13: 113); and-said fourth region (15; 92; 95; 115, 123) being separated from said first and second regions by said third region (14; 114); said first and third regions being of one conductively type; and said second and fourth regions being of the opposite conductivity type: said body further including a fifth region (21) adjoining said fourth region, being separated from said first, second and third regions by said fourth region, and being of said one conductivity type: b) a first electrode (24; 125) electrically connected to said first region; c) a second electrode (25; 121) electrically connected to said fourth and fifth regions; d) a third electrode (27; A; 118) overlying an area of said fourth region; and e)an insulative layer (30; 120) spacing said third electrode from said body: said third electrode, said insulative layer and said fourth region being so constructed and arranged that an inversion channel (31; 77; 100) within said fourth region and connecting together said third and fifth regions is included beneath said third electrode upon application of a bias voltaqe of prede- terminded polarity and magnitude to said third electrode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
244 words
A semiconductor device characterized by a) a body (11; 87) of semiconductor material including first, second, third and fourth regions (12 to 15; 91, 92; 94, 95; 112 to 115, 123) successively joined together in the foregoing order; said first region (12; 91; 94; 112) being separated from said third and fourth regions by said second region (13: 113); and-said fourth region (15; 92; 95; 115, 123) being separated from said first and second regions by said third region (14; 114); said first and third regions being of one conductively type; and said second and fourth regions being of the opposite conductivity type: said body further including a fifth region (21) adjoining said fourth region, being separated from said first, second and third regions by said fourth region, and being of said one conductivity type: b) a first electrode (24; 125) electrically connected to said first region; c) a second electrode (25; 121) electrically connected to said fourth and fifth regions; d) a third electrode (27; A; 118) overlying an area of said fourth region; and e)an insulative layer (30; 120) spacing said third electrode from said body: said third electrode, said insulative layer and said fourth region being so constructed and arranged that an inversion channel (31; 77; 100) within said fourth region and connecting together said third and fifth regions is included beneath said third electrode upon application of a bias voltaqe of prede- terminded polarity and magnitude to said third electrode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
The device according to claim 1 characterized by a distributed bypass carrier current path (32) in the semiconductor body (11; 87), said current path extending from the interior of said third region (14, 114) through said inversion channel (31; 77: 100) and through said fifth region (21) to said second electrode (25; 121), the resistance of said current path being too high to permit turn-off of the device solely by application of said bias voltage to said third electrode (27; A: 118).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
156 words
The device according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said semiconductor body (87) further includes a sixth region adjoining said first region (91; 94), being separated from said second , third, fourth and fifth regions by said first region, and being of said opposite conductivity type; in that said first electrode is additionally electrically connected to said sixth region; in that a fourth electrode (B) is included and overlies an area of said first region; and in that a second insulative layer is included and spaces said fourth electrode from said first region: said fourth electrode, said second insulative layer, and said first region being so constructed and arranged that a second inversion channel (80; 101) within said first region and connecting together said second and sixth regions is included beneath said fourth electrode upon application of a second bias voltage of predetermined polarity and magnitude to said fourth electrode (Fig. 6; Fig. 8).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
The device according to claim 3,characterized by a distributed emitter bypass current path in the semiconductor body (87), said current path extending from the interior of said second region through said second inversion channel (80; 101) and through said sixth region to said first electrode, the resistance of said current path being too high to permit turn-off of the device solely by application of said second bias voltage to. said fourth electrode (B).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that said first and second inversion channels (77; 80) are substantially horizontally aligned with each other where a major surface of a wafer constituting said semiconductor body (87) defines a horizontal plane. (Fig. 6)
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that said first and second inversion channels (100, 101) are substantially horizontally offset from each other where a major surface of a wafer constituting said semiconductor body defines a horizontal plane. (Fig. 8)
Claim 8
Independent Claim
77 words
The device according to one of the preceding claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said third and fourth electrodes (A, B), said first and second insulative layers, and said first and fourth regions (91, 92; 94, 95) are so constructed and arranged that during device turn-off the aggregate current passing through all inversion channels under said third electrode (A) is approximately equal to the aggregate current passing through all inversion channels under said fourth electrode (B).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
222 words
A semiconductor device characterized by a) a body (59) of semiconductor material including first, second, third and fourth regions (47 to 50) successively joined together in the foregoing order; said first region (47) being separated from said third and fourth regions by said second region (48), and said fourth region (50) being separated from said first and second regions by said third region (49); said first and third regions being of one conductivity type; and said second and fourth regions being of the opposite conductivity type: said body further including a fifth region (61) adjoining said first region, being separated from said second, third and fourth regions by said first region and being of said opposite conductivity type; b) a first electrode (52) electrically connected to said first and fifth regions; c) a second electrode (53) electrically connected to said fourth region; d) a third electrode (58) overlying a portion of said first region; and e) an insulative layer (60) spacing said third electrode from said body; said third electrode, said insulative layer, and said first region being so constructed and arranged that an inversion channel (57) within said first region and connecting together said second and fifth regions is induced beneath said third electrode upon application of a bias voltage of predetermined polarity and magnitude to said third electrode. (Fig. 4)
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
222 words
A semiconductor device characterized by a) a body (59) of semiconductor material including first, second, third and fourth regions (47 to 50) successively joined together in the foregoing order; said first region (47) being separated from said third and fourth regions by said second region (48), and said fourth region (50) being separated from said first and second regions by said third region (49); said first and third regions being of one conductivity type; and said second and fourth regions being of the opposite conductivity type: said body further including a fifth region (61) adjoining said first region, being separated from said second, third and fourth regions by said first region and being of said opposite conductivity type; b) a first electrode (52) electrically connected to said first and fifth regions; c) a second electrode (53) electrically connected to said fourth region; d) a third electrode (58) overlying a portion of said first region; and e) an insulative layer (60) spacing said third electrode from said body; said third electrode, said insulative layer, and said first region being so constructed and arranged that an inversion channel (57) within said first region and connecting together said second and fifth regions is induced beneath said third electrode upon application of a bias voltage of predetermined polarity and magnitude to said third electrode. (Fig. 4)
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
The device according to claim 8, characterized by a distributed bypass carrier current path (55) in the semiconductor body (59), said current path extending from the interior of said second region (48) through said inversion channel (57) and through said fifth region (61) to said first electrode (52) the resistance of said current path being too high to permit turn-off of the device solely by application of said bias voltage to said third electrode (58).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
132 words
.The device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least a first portion of said first region (12; 47; 91; 94; 112) has a maximum doping concentration in excess of about 10 18 impurity atoms per cubic centimeter; at least the part of said second region (13; 48; 113) which is adjacent to said third region (14; 49; 114) has a maximum doping concentration below about 10 16 impurity atoms per cubic centimeter; said third region (14; 49; 114) has a maximum doping concentration below about 10 17 impurity atoms per cubic centimeter; and at least a first portion of said fourth region (15: 50; 92; 95; 115; 123) has a maximum doping concentration in excess of about 10 18 impurity atoms per cubic centimeter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device according to claim 10, characterized in that said fifth region (21; 61) and/or said sixth region has a maximum doping concentration in excess of about 10 18 impurity atoms per cubic centimeter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
The device according to claim 10 or 11 characterized in that said inversion channel containing first and/ or fourth region (15; 47; 91; 92; 94; 95; 115; 123) comprises a second portion containing said inversion channel (31; 57; 77; 80;100: 101), said second portion having a maximum doping concentration below about 10 17 impurity atoms per cubic centimeter in the area occupied by said inversion channel.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
60 words
The device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said semiconductor body (11; 59; 87) comprises a wafer and said first, second, third and fourth regions (12 to 15; 47 to 50; 91, 92; 94, 95; 112 to 115, 123) each comprises a respective layer substantially parallel to a major surface of said wafer.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
23 words
The device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 13, characterized in that said semiconductor body (11; 59; 87) comprises silicon.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
28 words
The device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 14, characterized in that said one conductivity type is P-type and said opposite conductivity type is N-type.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
28 words
The device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 15, characterized in that said third electrode (27; 58; A; 118) and/or fourth electrode (B) comprises polysilicon.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device according to claim 16, characterized in that said first and/or second insulative layer (120) forms a sleeve around said third or fourth electrode (118), respectively. (Fig. 9)
Claim 20
Independent Claim
56 words
The device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 17, characterized in that said first and second electrodes (24, 25; 52, 53) are free of electrical connection to said second and third regions (13, 14; 48, 49), respectively, whereby the device can be turned on by noise or thermal current or a combination thereof.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
59 words
The device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 17, characterized in that said first electrode (125) and/or second electrode (121) includes an electrical connection to said second region (113) or said third region (114), respectively, whereby the sensitivity of the device to turn-on by noise or thermal current or a combination thereof is reduced. (Fig. 9)
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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