Abstract There is disclosed a semiconductor device, with especial reference to a transistor, with improved protection against short high-power reverse transients. This improvement is the result of providing a secondary punch-through breakdown mode which operates to the exclusion of an avalanche mode. In the improved device, punch-through breakdown current causes turn-off dissipation to be substantially uniform throughout the area of the device. The provision of a secondary punch-through breakdown is accomplished by reducing the total doping in one of the end regions of the device and by replacing the conventional heavily-doped semiconductor end regions with a suitable metallic contact. This technique is superior to previously described methods for accomplishing primary punch-through breakdown by reducing the number of base impurities because such an approach cannot allow independent control of the current gain of the device.
A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH IMPROVED REVERSE TRANSIENT CAPABILITY COMPRISING A FIRST AND A SECOND JUNCTION BETWEEN EMITTER BASE AND COLLECTOR REGIONS, THE COLLECTOR REGIONS BEING LIGHTLY DOPED TO A LEVEL OF 10**12 TO 10**13 ATOMS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER AND A REFRACTORY METAL CONTACT TO SAID COLLECTOR THEREBY PROVIDING UNIFORM TURN-OFF POWER DISSIPATION.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH IMPROVED REVERSE TRANSIENT CAPABILITY COMPRISING A FIRST AND A SECOND JUNCTION BETWEEN EMITTER BASE AND COLLECTOR REGIONS, THE COLLECTOR REGIONS BEING LIGHTLY DOPED TO A LEVEL OF 10**12 TO 10**13 ATOMS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER AND A REFRACTORY METAL CONTACT TO SAID COLLECTOR THEREBY PROVIDING UNIFORM TURN-OFF POWER DISSIPATION.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A semiconductor device as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said junctions extends to the periphery of the device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor device as recited in claim 2 wherein the edges of the device are tapered.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A semiconductor device as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second junctions extend to a planar surface of the device.