Lateral field-effect-controlled semiconductor device on insulati

Details Lateral field-effect-controlled semiconductor device on insulati Lateral field-effect-controlled semiconductor device on insulati

1995-02-21

1996-12-24

Jackson, Jerome

Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode

Regenerative type switching device

Combined with field effect transistor

257122, 257162, H01L 29745

Patent

active

055875955

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a field-effect-controlled semiconductor device having at least four regions of alternating opposite conduction type, in which regions are configured an anode-end emitter region, a first and second base region adjoining this anode-end emitter region, a cathode-end emitter region and a further adjacently disposed emitter region, wherein the two last-mentioned emitter regions form source and drain of a MOS field-effect transistor having an anode contact, a contact at the cathode-end emitter region and a control electrode contact of the MOS field-effect transistor.
A field-effect-controlled semiconductor device of the above-described type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,671. Such a semiconductor device mentioned in the patent specification "Emitter Switched Thyristor" (EST) is illustrated in the FIG. 5 and 6 and will be explained in greater detail in the following text. The field-effect-controlled semiconductor device, whose structure is illustrated in the FIG. 5 and 6, comprises an anode-end emitter region 10, a first base region 20, adjoining this anode-end emitter region followed by two second base regions 34, 36 and two cathode-end emitter regions 40, 44. On an insulating layer 50, which covers a part of the cathode-end base region 30, there is disposed a control electrode contact 60 called a gate, which forms a field-effect transistor with the cathode-end emitters 40, 44 and a channel region 42, 43. The device is provided with two power supply connections, a cathode 72 and an anode 74. Two thyristor structures are recognizable in the device described. The first, parasitic thyristor structure comprises the cathode-end emitter region 40, the two base regions 32, 20 adjoining this cathode-end emitter region and the anode-end emitter region 10 and may not be ignited in any operating condition. The second thyristor structure with the other cathode-end emitter structure 44, the two base regions 36, 20 adjoining this cathode-end emitter structure and the anode-end emitter region 10 form the main current path in the switched-on state.
The cathode-end emitter 40 is short-circuited with the cathode-end base region 34 via the cathode contact 72. In order to configure this shunt to be low-ohmic, the base region 30 is highly doped in a partial region 32. The main thyristor structure 44, 36, 20, 10 is controlled by a field-effect transistor 40, 50, 60, 44 and channel region 42, 43.
In the one embodiment of the known semiconductor device illustrated in FIG. 5, the doping in a moderately doped partial base region 34 determines the threshold voltage of the field-effect transistor and the injection efficiency of the cathode-end emitter 44. If the semiconductor device is polarized in forward direction and if the gate connection 60 of the field-effect transistor is actuated with a positive potential vis-a-vis the cathode, a conductive channel 42 forms in the p-base region 34, this channel connecting the two cathode-end emitters 40, 44 at a low resistance.
Simultaneously, a conductive channel 46 forms between the emitter 44 and the first base region 20. The electron current thus created acts as control current for an anode-end p-n-p transistor and offers the gate trigger current or hold current for the main thyristor 44, 34, 20, 10. The hole current flowing off toward the cathode contact 72 via the partial region 34 of the base region 30 polarizes the n.sup.+ -emitter 44 in forward direction and the injected electrons reinforce the conductance modulation of the moderately doped n-base region 20.
The regenerative actuation of the thyristor can be interrupted by equating the gate potential with the cathode potential so that the n-conducting channel of the field effect transistor disappears and the electron current is interrupted.
This process leads to the switching-off of the semiconductor component. The component structure according to FIG. 5 must be very carefully optimized, because the n.sup.+ -emitter of the parasitic thyristor structure 40, 3

REFERENCES:
patent: 4550332 (1985-10-01), Wagner
patent: 4612448 (1986-09-01), Strack
patent: 4847671 (1989-07-01), Pattanayak et al.
patent: 5221850 (1993-06-01), Sakurai
patent: 5304802 (1994-04-01), Kumagai
M. S. Shekar et al.: "High-Voltage Current Saturation in Emitter Switched Thyristors". In: IEEE Electron Device Letters, vol. 12, No. 7, Jul. 1991, pp. 387-389.
B. J. Baliga: "The MOS-Gated Emitter Switched Thyristor". In: IEEE Electron Device Letters, vol. 11, No. 2, Feb. 1990, pp. 75-77.

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