Partially isolated amplifying gate thyristor with controllable dv/dt compensation, high di/dt capability, and high sensitivity

Claim 1

An amplifying gate thyristor having a gate region, a pilot thyristor stage, a main thyristor stage, and an anode, each of said pilot thyristor stage and said main thyristor stage including an electrode and an emitter layer affixed to the electrode thereunder, respectively, said electrode of the main thyristor stage, together with the emitter layer thereunder, forming the cathode of the amplifying gate thyristor, said cathode and said anode adapted to be coupled to a relatively high voltage source capable of supplying sufficient dv/dt current to said pilot thyristor to render said pilot thyristor conductive and thus render said amplifying gate thyristor conductive, said amplifying gate thyristor further comprising: a plurality of contact regions disposed on a top surface thereof and including a first contact region located in said gate region radially inward of said pilot thyristor region, a second contact region located to contact a p-base region of said main thyristor and further comprising the gate electrode of said main thyristor region, a third contact region located between said electrode of said pilot thyristor stage and said second contact region, a conductive element coupling said third contact region to the electrode of said pilot thyristor and a first isolation means situated between said third contact region and said electrode of the pilot thyristor; a first impedance means including a second isolation means and a first resistive element, said second isolation means situated between said second and third contact regions; a second impedance means coupled between said first contact region and said cathode; and a compensation region extending between the central portions of said first and said second isolation means for conducting dv/dt current therein.