Semi-conductor rectifier arrangement having self-protection against overvoltage

Claim 1

A SEMI-CONDUCTOR RECTIFIER HAVING SELF-PROTECTION AGAINST OVERVOLTAGE, SAID RECTIFIER INCLUDING, A RELATIVELY THIN FIRST SEMI-CONDUCTOR END LAYER AND A RELATIVELY THICK SECOND SEMI-CONDUCTOR END LAYER, SAID SEMI-CONDUCTOR LAYERS BEING OF OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPES AND FORMING A P-N JUNCTION, FIRST AND SECOND METALLIC COATINGS FORMING CORRESPONDING END JUNCTIONS WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND SEMICONDUCTOR END LAYERS AND SAID METALLIC COATINGS HAVING PROPERTIES FOR SAID END JUNCTIONS TO EMIT CHARGE CARRIERS WHEN A REVERSE BIAS IS APLIED ACROSS SAID P-N JUNCTION, THE MAXIMUM DOPING OF SAID FIRST SEMI-CONDUCTOR END LAYER BEING STRONGER THAN THE DOPING OF SAID SECOND SEMI-CON DUCTOR END LAYER AND THE DOPING OF SAID FIRST SEMI-CONDUCTOR END LAYER BEING DIMINISHED FROM SAID MAXIMUM BOTH TOWARD SAID FIRST METALLIC COATING FOR THE FIELD STRENGTH IN SAID CORRESPONDING END JUNCTION TO BE INCREASED AND TOWARD SAID P-N JUNCTION TO HAVE SAID CORRESPONDING END JUNCTION EMIT CHARGE CARRIERS TO SAID P-N JUNCTION WHEN SAID P-N JUNCTION IS REVERSELY BIASED AND THE RECTIFIRE TO CHANGE OVER TO A STATE OF HIGH ELECTRICAL CONDUCITIVITY WHEN THE CORRESPONDING REVERSE ELECTRIC CURRENT EXCEEDS A PARTICULAR VALUE.