Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor body having formed therein a thyristor having a first region of one conductivity type provided with a first main electrode, a second region of the opposite conductivity type forming a first pn junction with the first region, a third region of the one conductivity type forming a second pn junction with the second region and provided with a gate electrode, and a fourth region of the opposite conductivity type forming a third pn junction with the third region and having an electrical connection to a second main electrode, characterised in that a fifth region of the one conductivity type forms a fourth pn junction with the fourth region, a sixth region of the opposite conductivity type in electrical connection with the second main electrode forms a fifth pn junction with the fifth region and an insulated gate overlies a conduction channel area of the fifth region for defining a conductive path for charge carriers of the opposite conductivity type into the fourth region for initiating thyristor action, the fifth region being electrically connected to provide a path for extraction of charge carriers of the one conductivity type during turn-off of the thyristor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
A semiconductor device according to Claim 1, further characterised in that the gate electrode of the third region comprises an insulated gate overlying a channel area of the third region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A semiconductor device according to Claim 2, further characterised in that the insulated gate overlying the third region is contiguous with the insulated gate overlying the fifth region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A semiconductor device according to Claim 3, further characterised in that the contiguous insulated gates are defined on the side walls of a groove extending into the semiconductor body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A semiconductor device according to Claim 4, further characterised in that the groove is in the form of a trench having its side walls covered by an insulating layer and being filled with electrically conductive material forming the gate electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
112 words
A semiconductor device according to any one of the preceding claims, further characterised in that, in one or more areas of the semiconductor body, the third, fourth, fifth and sixth regions are replaced by a further region of the one conductivity with the insulated gate overlying a conduction channel area of the further region so that the further region defines with the first and second regions a three layer structure arranged in parallel with the structure defined by the first to sixth regions between the first and second main electrodes such that the further region provides a path for extraction of charge carriers of the one conductivity during turn-off of the thyristor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A semiconductor device according to any one of the preceding claims, further characterised in that the first main electrode is provided on one main surface of the semiconductor body and the second main electrode is provided on the other opposed main surface of the semiconductor body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device according to any one of the preceding claims, further characterised in that the fifth region is electrically connected to the second main electrode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor device according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, further characterised in that the fifth region is connected to a further separate electrode.