Thyristor with integrated ballasted gate auxiliary thyristor portion

Claim 2

A thyristor according to claim 1 in which said ballast segment means is associated with said first portion forming a junction therewith and said gate means includes a conductive portion bridging an adjacent edge of said junction.

Claim 3

A thyristor according to claim 1 in which said gate means is located centrally with respect to said semiconductive element and said first emitter layer segments are of annular configuration and concentrically located with respect to said gate means.

Claim 4

A thyristor according to claim 1 additionally including means isolating said ballast segment means from conductive association with said contacts.

Claim 5

A thyristor according to claim 1 in which said first base layer incorporates a lateral resistance beneath said ballast segment which produces a potential gradient in response to a turn on current therethrough less than the sum of the forward conduction and maximum reverse blocking potentials of the junction between said ballast segment means and said first base layer.

Claim 6

A thyristor according to claim 1 in which said ballast segment means is located between said auxiliary segment and said main segment and said junction bridging means overlies an inner edge thereof.

Claim 7

A thyristor comprised of a semiconductive element including four layers of one and the opposite conductivity-type, said layers being interleaved with adjacent layers being of opposite conductivity-type and forming a plurality of P-N junctions, said layers including a first emitter layer and a first base layer next adjacent thereto, said first emitter layer including a main segment and an auxiliary segment spaced laterally therefrom, said first base layer including a main zone underlying said main segment, an auxiliary zone underlying said auxiliary segment, gate zone means separated from said main zone by said auxiliary zone, and lateral zone means interposed between said main and auxiliary zones, gate means associated with said gate zone means in laterally spaced relation to said auxiliary segment, a second emitter layer, first and second major contacts associated with said main segment and said second emitter layer, respectively, means providing a junction bridging conductive path from said auxiliary segment to said lateral zone means of said first base layer, first lateral resistance means interposed between said gate means and said auxiliary segment for laterally spreading current flow therebetween, and second lateral resistance means interposed between and spaced from said conductive path means and said main segment for laterally spreading current flow therebetween including diffused ballast segment means forming a passive segment of said first emitter layer.

Claim 8

A thyristor comprised of a semiconductive element including a first emitter layer adjacent a first major surface, a first base layer adjacent said first emitter layer, a second emitter layer adjacent a second, opposed major surface, and a second base layer interposed between said first base layer and said second emitter layer, adjacent of said layers being of opposite conductivity-type type and said layers forming P-N junctions therebetween, said first emitter layer including a main segment and an auxiliary segment spaced laterally therefrom, said first base layer including a main zone underlying said main segment, an auxiliary zone underlying said auxiliary segment, gate zone means separated from said main zone by said auxiliary zone and located adjacent said first major surface, and lateral zone means interposed between said main and auxiliary zones and spaced inwardly from said first major surface, gate means associated with said gate zone means in laterally spaced relation to said auxiliary segment, first and second major contacts associated with said main segment and said second emitter layer, respectively, means providing a junction bridging conductive path from said auxiliary segment to said lateral zone means of said first base layer, said conductive path means being laterally spaced from the junction formed by said main segment and said main zone, and ballast segment means interposed between and spaced from said gate means and said auxiliary segment for laterally spreading current flow therebetween forming a passive portion of said first emitter layer.

Claim 9

A thyristor according to claim 9 in which said lateral zone means include a plurality of laterally extending finger portions separated by said main segment and said conductive path means include finger portions overlying said zone means finger portions.

Claim 10

A thyristor according to claim 9 in which said first base layer progressively increases in resistivity in a direction taken from said first major surface toward said second base layer.

Claim 11

A thyristor aCcording to claim 9 additionally including a backup plate associated with said first major contact and overlying said conductive path means in spaced relation thereto.