US4291329A
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US
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Thyristor with continuous recombination center shunt across planar emitter-base junction
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1979-08-31
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Granted: 1981-09-22
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Expires: 1999-08-31
Abstract
Abstract A four-layer semiconductor thyristor including a planar recombination region extending on both sides of a planar cathode-emitter junction.
Inventors
- 👤 Maurice H. Hanes
- 👤 Earl S. Schlegel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 03:55
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D18/00; H10D62/00; H10D62/50; H10D62/53; H10P; H10P34/00; H10P34/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A semiconductor thyristor comprising: (a) top and bottom surfaces; (b) a first layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said top surface; (c) a second layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said first layer of semiconductor material and forming a first metallurgical p-n junction therewith; (d) a third layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said second layer of semiconductor material and forming a second metallurgical p-n junction therewith; (e) a fourth layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said third layer of semiconductor material and adjacent to said bottom surface and forming a third metallurgical p-n junction with said third layer of semiconductor material; and (f) a recombination region extending only about said first metallurgical p-n junction and spaced apart from said top surface and from said second metallurgical p-n junction, said recombination region having a predetermined concentration of lattice dislocation therein for eliminating current carriers therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
A semiconductor thyristor comprising: (a) top and bottom surfaces; (b) a first layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said top surface; (c) a second layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said first layer of semiconductor material and forming a first metallurgical p-n junction therewith; (d) a third layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said second layer of semiconductor material and forming a second metallurgical p-n junction therewith; (e) a fourth layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said third layer of semiconductor material and adjacent to said bottom surface and forming a third metallurgical p-n junction with said third layer of semiconductor material; and (f) a recombination region extending only about said first metallurgical p-n junction and spaced apart from said top surface and from said second metallurgical p-n junction, said recombination region having a predetermined concentration of lattice dislocation therein for eliminating current carriers therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A semiconductor thyristor according to claim 1: wherein said predetermind dislocation concentration is 10 14 recombination sites/cm 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A semiconductor thyristor according to claim 2 wherein said first, second, third, and fourth densities of recombination sites are each at least two orders of magnitude less than said fifth density of recombination sites.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
233 words
A semiconductor thyristor comprising: (a) top and bottom surfaces; (b) a first planar layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said top surface, said first layer having a thickness of 20 μm and having a first density of recombination sites; (c) a second planar layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said first layer and forming a first metallurgical p-n junction therewith, said second layer having a thickness of 30 μm and having a second density of recombination sites, said first p-n junction spaced-apart from said top surface by only a layer of semiconductor material having a first conductivity; (d) a third planar layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said second layer of semiconductor material and forming a second metallurgical p-n junction therewith, said third layer of semiconductor material having a thickness of 150 μm and having a third density of recombination sites; (e) a fourth planar layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said third layer of semiconductor material and adjacent to said bottom surface and forming a third metallurgical p-n junction with said third layer of semiconductor material, said fourth layer of semiconductor material having a thickness of 60 μm and having a fourth density of recombination sites; and (f) a planar recombination region intersecting with and extending a distance of 10 μm from said first metallurgical p-n junction toward said bottom surface, said recombination region having a fifth density of recombination sites therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
233 words
A semiconductor thyristor comprising: (a) top and bottom surfaces; (b) a first planar layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said top surface, said first layer having a thickness of 20 μm and having a first density of recombination sites; (c) a second planar layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said first layer and forming a first metallurgical p-n junction therewith, said second layer having a thickness of 30 μm and having a second density of recombination sites, said first p-n junction spaced-apart from said top surface by only a layer of semiconductor material having a first conductivity; (d) a third planar layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said second layer of semiconductor material and forming a second metallurgical p-n junction therewith, said third layer of semiconductor material having a thickness of 150 μm and having a third density of recombination sites; (e) a fourth planar layer of semiconductor material adjacent to said third layer of semiconductor material and adjacent to said bottom surface and forming a third metallurgical p-n junction with said third layer of semiconductor material, said fourth layer of semiconductor material having a thickness of 60 μm and having a fourth density of recombination sites; and (f) a planar recombination region intersecting with and extending a distance of 10 μm from said first metallurgical p-n junction toward said bottom surface, said recombination region having a fifth density of recombination sites therein.
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