Bilateral switching integrated circuit

Claim 2

A PLANAR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE COMPRISING: A BODY OF SEMICONDUCTIVE MATERIAL OF A FIRST CONDUCTIVITY TYPE HAVING TWO MAJOR SURFACES, FOUR BASE ZONES OF OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE MATERIAL WITHIN SAID BODY FORMING PN JUNCTIONS REACHING ONE SAID SURFACE, AN EMITTER ZONE OF SAID FIRST CONDUCTIVITY TYPE MATERIAL LOCATED ENTIRELY WITHIN EACH OF SAID FOUR BASE ZONES AND FORMING PN JUNCTIONS REACHING SAID ONE SURFACE, SAID RESPECTIVE BASE AND EMITTER ZONES FORMING WITH SAID BODY FOUR TRANSISTORS SHARING A COMMON COLLECTOR, AND FOUR CONDUCTIVE LEADS CONNECTING BASE AND EMITTER ZONES ON SAID SURFACE BETWEEN ADJACENT PAIRS OF SAID TRANSISTORS.

Claim 3

The semiconductive device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said base zone comprises first and second regions, the second region entirely surrounding said first region on said surface and within said body and having a concentration of said opposite conductivity impurities of from two to four orders of magnitude less than said first region, but in no event more than 1016 atoms/cc.

Claim 4

The semiconductive device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base zones are symmetrically arranged in respective quadrants of said body.

Claim 5

The semiconductive device as claimed in claim 3, and additionally comprising an additional zone of said first conductivity type material in said body, said additional zone being on said one surface, having the same concentration and depth as said emitter zones, and defining a cruciform pattern reaching the edges of said body between said transistors.

Claim 6

A photosensitive triac comprising: a body of semiconductive material of a first conductivity type having two major surfaces; four base zones of opposite conductivity type material within said body forming PN junctions reaching one said surface; an emitter zone of said first conductivity type material located entirely within each of said four base zones and forming PN junctions reaching said one surface; said respective base and emitter zones effectively forming with said body four vertical transistors sharing a common collector and four lateral transistOrs sharing a common base, with all of the active junctions of said transistors reaching said one surface; four conductive leads connecting base and emitter zones on said surface between adjacent pairs of said vertical transistors; means for connecting two said leads separated by three said junctions to an external alternating current; said one surface being substantially free of light-blocking films.

Claim 7

A photosensitive triac comprising: a body of semiconductive material of a first conductivity type having two major surfaces; four base zones of opposite conductivity type material within said body forming PN junctions reaching one said surface; an emitter zone of said first conductivity type material located entirely within each of said four base zones and forming PN junctions reaching said one surface; said respective base and emitter zones effectively forming with said body four vertical transistors sharing a common collector and four lateral transistOrs sharing a common base, with all of the active junctions of said transistors reaching said one surface; four conductive leads connecting base and emitter zones on said surface between adjacent pairs of said vertical transistors; means for connecting two said leads separated by three said junctions to an external alternating current; said one surface being substantially free of light-blocking films.

Claim 8

The photosensitive triac as claimed in claim 5, wherein each said base zone comprises first and second regions, the second region entirely surrounding said first region on said surface and within said body and having a concentration of said opposite conductivity impurities of from two to four orders of magnitude less than said first region, but in no event more than 1016 atoms/cc.

Claim 9

The photosensitive triac as claimed in claim 4, wherein said base zones are symmetrically arranged in respective quadrants of said body.

Claim 10

The photosensitive triac as claimed in claim 7, and additionally comprising an additional zone of said first conductivity type material in said body, said additional zone being on said one surface, having the same concentration and depth as said emitter zones, and defining a cruciform pattern reaching the edges of said body between said transistors.

Claim 11

A planar, bilateral switching integrated circuit comprising: a body of semiconductive material of a first conductivity type having two major surfaces; four base zones of opposite conductivity type material within said body forming PN junctions reaching one said surface, said base zones being symmetrically arranged in respective quadrants of said body; an emitter zone of said first conductivity type material located entirely within each of said four base zones and forming PN junctions reaching said one surface; said respective base and emitter zones effectively forming with said body four vertical transistors sharing a common collector and four lateral transistors sharing a common base, with all of the active junctions of said transistors reaching said one surface; four conductive leads connecting base and emitter zones on said surface between adjacent pairs of said vertical transistors; means including main terminals for connecting two said leads separated by three said junctions to an external alternating current; and means for connecting a gate signal across a third said lead and one of said main terminals separated therefrom by one said junction.

Claim 12

A planar, bilateral switching integrated circuit comprising: a body of semiconductive material of a first conductivity type having two major surfaces; four base zones of opposite conductivity type material within said body forming PN junctions reaching one said surface, said base zones being symmetrically arranged in respective quadrants of said body; an emitter zone of said first conductivity type material located entirely within each of said four base zones and forming PN junctions reaching said one surface; said respective base and emitter zones effectively forming with said body four vertical transistors sharing a common collector and four lateral transistors sharing a common base, with all of the active junctions of said transistors reaching said one surface; four conductive leads connecting base and emitter zones on said surface between adjacent pairs of said vertical transistors; means including main terminals for connecting two said leads separated by three said junctions to an external alternating current; and means for connecting a gate signal across a third said lead and one of said main terminals separated therefrom by one said junction.

Claim 13

The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein each said base zone comprises first and second regions, the second region entirely surrounding said first region on said surface and within said body and having a concentration of said opposite conductivity impurities of from two to four orders of magnitude less than said first region, but in no event more than 1016 atoms/cc.

Claim 14

The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9, and additionally comprising an additional zone of said first conductivity type material in said body, said additional zone being on said one surface, having the same concentration and depth as said emitter zones, and defining a cruciform pattern reaching the edges of said body between said transistors.

Claim 15

The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein said one surface is substantially free of light blocking films.

Claim 16

An electro-optic trigger for controlling alternating current circuits comprising: a photosensitive triac comprising: a body of semiconductive material of a first conductivity type having two major surfaces; four base zones of opposite conductivity type material within said body forming PN junctions reaching one said surface, said base zones being symmetrically arranged in respective quadrants of said body; an emitter zone of said first conductivity type material located entirely within each of said four base zones and forming PN junctions reaching said one surface; said respective basE and emitter zones effectively forming with said body four vertical transistors sharing a common collector and four lateral transistors sharing a common base, with all of the active junctions of said transistors reaching said one surface; four conductive leads connecting base and emitter zones on said surface between adjacent pairs of saaid vertical transistors; means for connecting two said leads separated by three said junctions to an external alternating current; said one surface being substantially free of light-blocking films; a light-emitting device in spaced, optically-coupled relationship with said one surface of said triac; and means for connecting said light-emitting device to actuating means.

Claim 17

An electro-optic trigger for controlling alternating current circuits comprising: a photosensitive triac comprising: a body of semiconductive material of a first conductivity type having two major surfaces; four base zones of opposite conductivity type material within said body forming PN junctions reaching one said surface, said base zones being symmetrically arranged in respective quadrants of said body; an emitter zone of said first conductivity type material located entirely within each of said four base zones and forming PN junctions reaching said one surface; said respective basE and emitter zones effectively forming with said body four vertical transistors sharing a common collector and four lateral transistors sharing a common base, with all of the active junctions of said transistors reaching said one surface; four conductive leads connecting base and emitter zones on said surface between adjacent pairs of saaid vertical transistors; means for connecting two said leads separated by three said junctions to an external alternating current; said one surface being substantially free of light-blocking films; a light-emitting device in spaced, optically-coupled relationship with said one surface of said triac; and means for connecting said light-emitting device to actuating means.

Claim 18

The electro-optic trigger as claimed in claim 13, wherein said optical coupling comprises an optically clear cement.

Claim 19

The electro-optic trigger as claimed in claim 13, and additionally comprising: a package including a light-proof cavity having said trigger mounted therein; a first pair of leads extending externally of said package and connected to the connecting means of said triac; and a second pair of leads extending externally of said package and connected to said light-emitting device.

Claim 20

The electro-optic trigger as claimed in claim 13, wherein each said base zone of said triac comprises first and second regions, the second region entirely surrounding said first region on said surface and within said body and having a concentration of said opposite conductivity impurities of from two to four orders of magnitude less than said first region, but in no event more than 1016 atoms/cc.

Claim 21

The electro-optic trigger as claimed in claim 13, and additionally comprising an additional zone of said first conductivity type material in said body of said triac, said additional zone being on said one surface, having the same concentration and depth as said emitter zones, and defining a cruciform pattern reaching the edges of said body between said transistors.