Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices – circuits – and – Gating – Utilizing three or more electrode solid-state device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-25
2002-02-12
Ton, My-Trang Nu (Department: 2816)
Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and
Gating
Utilizing three or more electrode solid-state device
Reexamination Certificate
active
06346844
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to A method of coupling active semiconductor components and also to such a coupling and then particularly to a series-connection of such couplings that will enable high voltages to be controlled.
Hitherto, a large number of components have been required in order, to control high voltages by connecting together semiconductor components in series, wherewith a pair of additional transistors resistances and—diodes are normally required in addition to the “actually” active transistor, which makes the couplings expensive. An example of one such known coupling is illustrated in
FIG. 1
, which shows a series-connection of two MOS-based power transistors that are coupled to control a voltage of some kV. This earlier known coupling is illustrated and described in the book “POWER MOSFETS Theory and Applications” by Duncan A. Grant and John Gowar, published by John Wiley. & Sons. In a known application, it has previously only been found practical to apply across a transistor a voltage of at most 2000 V. It will be apparent that in order to be able to control still higher voltages while Using the same principles, the coupling will become even more extensive and comprehensive with further components needing to be connected in series.
In the power distribution field for instance, it is necessary to be able to control voltages of up to 100,000 V or still higher, while voltages of up to about 25,000 V are handled in respect of railroad and trolley car traffic for instance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method which will enable active semiconductor components to be connected in series without complicated and expensive peripheral coupling so as to enable high voltages to be controlled at low cost.
These objects are achieved in accordance with the invention by taking a voltage from semiconductor component and applying this voltage to the control input of the next following semiconductor component and locking said voltage at a predetermined highest level.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the semiconductor component is a transistor that includes floating metal-contacted protective rings and said voltage is taken from one of these protective rings.
A typical method, of terminating a high voltage semiconductor component is to use the aforesaid floating metal-contacted protective rings. The principle construction of the outer part of such a transistor is shown in
FIG. 2
, which also shows the depletion area of a transistor in the form of a curve and the active part is shown on the left. When the voltage across the active part of the transistor increases, the depletion area will reach the first protective ring at a voltage V
1
, and this ring will then adopt the voltage V
1
. At the voltage V
2
, the depletion area will have reached the second protective ring, which then adopts the voltage V
2
, and so on. One of the last protective rings has the potential V
f
, this potential being utilised in the invention as described hereinafter in more detail.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4394590 (1983-07-01), Honda
patent: 4459498 (1984-07-01), Stengl et al.
patent: 4487458 (1984-12-01), Janutka
patent: 4491750 (1985-01-01), Janutka
patent: 4692643 (1987-09-01), Tokunaga et al.
patent: 4751408 (1988-06-01), Rambert
patent: 5148064 (1992-09-01), Kevorkian et al.
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