Abstract: Some embodiments include gated bipolar junction transistors. The transistors may include a base region between a collector region and an emitter region; with a B-C junction being at an interface of the base region and the collector region, and with a B-E junction being at an interface of the base region and the emitter region. The transistors may include material having a bandgap of at least 1.2 eV within one or more of the base, emitter and collector regions. The gated transistors may include a gate along the base region and spaced from the base region by dielectric material, with the gate not overlapping either the B-C junction or the B-E junction. Some embodiments include memory arrays containing gated bipolar junction transistors. Some embodiments include methods of forming gated bipolar junction transistors.

Abstract: A peripheral circuit area is formed around a memory cell array area. The peripheral circuit area has element regions, an element isolation region isolating the element regions, and field-effect transistor formed in each of the element regions and including a gate electrode extending in a channel width direction, on a semiconductor substrate. An end portion and a corner portion of the gate electrode are on the element isolation region. A radius of curvature of the corner portion of the gate electrode is smaller than a length from the end portion of the element region in the channel width direction to the end portion of the gate electrode in the channel width direction, and is less than 85 nm.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a thyristor SCR with reduced turn-off time. A third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type (anode AN) and a fourth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type (anode gate AG) are formed in the top layer of a first semiconductor region; fifth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type (cathode CA) and sixth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type (cathode gate CG) are formed in the top layer of a second semiconductor region; a gate insulating film and gate electrode MG are formed on the second semiconductor region. When the thyristor is turned off from the on state, a higher potential than that on the anode is applied to the anode gate, and a diode made up of the anode and the anode gate inside the thyristor is made to conduct so as to control the potential of the anode during driving.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thyristor in which a first-conductivity-type first region, a second-conductivity-type second region having a conductivity type reverse to the first conductivity type, a first-conductivity-type third region, and a second-conductivity-type fourth region are sequentially arranged to form junctions. The third region is formed on a semiconductor substrate separated by an element isolation region. A gate electrode formed via a gate insulating film and side wall formed at wall side of both side of the gate electrode are provided on the third region, and the fourth region is formed so that one end thereof covers the joint portion between the other end of the third region and the element isolation regions, and so that the other end of the fourth region is joined with the sidewall on the other side.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, a fourth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, a first control electrode, a first main electrode, a fifth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, a sixth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, a second main electrode and a semiconductor element. The semiconductor element is connected between the first main electrode and the third semiconductor region. In addition, the semiconductor element includes a channel using part of the first semiconductor region and a second control electrode configured to control the channel on the one major surface of the first semiconductor region.

Abstract: Gate drivers for wide bandgap (e.g., >2 eV) semiconductor junction field effect transistors (JFETs) capable of operating in high ambient temperature environments are described. The wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices include silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) devices. The driver can be a non-inverting gate driver which has an input, an output, a first reference line for receiving a first supply voltage, a second reference line for receiving a second supply voltage, a ground terminal, and six Junction Field-Effect Transistors (JFETs) wherein the first JFET and the second JFET form a first inverting buffer, the third JFET and the fourth JFET form a second inverting buffer, and the fifth JFET and the sixth JFET form a totem pole which can be used to drive a high temperature power SiC JFET. An inverting gate driver is also described.

Abstract: An integrated low leakage Schottky diode has a Schottky barrier junction proximate one side of an MOS gate with one end of a drift region on an opposite side of the gate. Below the Schottky metal and the gate oxide is a RESURF structure of an N? layer over a P? layer which also forms the drift region that ends at the diode's cathode in one embodiment of the present invention. The N? and P? layers have an upward concave shape under the gate. The gate electrode and the Schottky metal are connected to the diode's anode. A P? layer lies between the RESURF structure and an NISO region which has an electrical connection to the anode. A P+ layer under the Schottky metal is in contact with the P? layer through a P well.

Abstract: An integrated low leakage Schottky diode has a Schottky barrier junction proximate one side of an MOS gate with one end of a drift region on an opposite side of the gate. Below the Schottky metal and the gate oxide is a RESURF structure of an N? layer over a P? layer which also forms the drift region that ends at the diode's cathode in one embodiment of the present invention. The N? and P? layers have an upward concave shape under the gate. The gate electrode and the Schottky metal are connected to the diode's anode. A P? layer lies between the RESURF structure and an NISO region which has an electrical connection to the anode. A P+ layer under the Schottky metal is in contact with the P? layer through a P well.

Abstract: In a base region of a first conductivity type, at least one emitter region of a second conductivity type and at least one sense region of the second conductivity type, spaced away from the emitter region, are selectively formed. The emitter region and the sense region are located so as to be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction going from a collector region of the first conductivity type, which is formed so as to be spaced away from the base region, toward the base region. The width of the sense region, the width of the emitter region, the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the sense region, and the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the emitter region in the second direction are set in such a manner that a sense ratio varies in a desired manner in accordance with variation in collector current.

Abstract: An insulated gate type thyristor includes: a first current terminal semiconductor region of a first conductivity type having a high impurity concentration; a first base semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type having a low impurity concentration and formed on the first current terminal semiconductor region; a second base semiconductor region of the first conductivity type having a low impurity concentration and formed on the first base semiconductor region; a second current terminal semiconductor region of the second conductivity type having a high impurity concentration and formed on the second base semiconductor region; a trench passing through the second current terminal semiconductor region and entering the second base semiconductor region leaving some depth thereof, along a direction from a surface of the second current terminal semiconductor region toward the first base semiconductor region; and an insulated gate electrode structure formed in the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thyristor in which a first-conductivity-type first region, a second-conductivity-type second region having a conductivity type reverse to the first conductivity type, a first-conductivity-type third region, and a second-conductivity-type fourth region are sequentially arranged to form junctions. The third region is formed on a semiconductor substrate separated by an element isolation region. A gate electrode formed via a gate insulating film and side wall formed at wall side of both side of the gate electrode are provided on the third region, and the fourth region is formed so that one end thereof covers the joint portion between the other end of the third region and the element isolation regions, and so that the other end of the fourth region is joined with the sidewall on the other side.

Abstract: A housing for a semiconductor device is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the housing comprises a semiconductor substrate that is arranged between two contact elements, one contact element forming an anode contact element and another contact element forming a cathode contact element, the semiconductor substrate having, on at least one surface, a gate electrode that is contacted by a gate contact element, the first contact element forming a surface arranged across from the gate electrode and at a distance from the gate electrode. Also included is at least one driver unit for generating a gate current, the driver unit comprising a first terminal that is contacted with the gate contact element, and a second terminal that is contacted with a first of the two contact elements.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (1, 20-80) has an emitter terminal (2), a collector terminal (3) and also a semiconductor body (4) provided between emitter terminal (2) and collector terminal (3). An emitter zone (5, 70) is formed in the semiconductor body (4), said emitter zone at least partially adjoining the emitter terminal (2) and also having a first interface (16) facing the emitter terminal (2) and a second interface (17) facing the collector terminal. The semiconductor device has at least one MOS structure (8, 81) which pervades the emitter zone or adjoins the latter, and which is configured such that corresponding MOS channels (11, 14) induced by the MOS structure (8, 81) within the emitter zone (5, 70) are at a distance from the first interface (16) of the emitter zone (5, 70).

Abstract: A semiconductor switch comprises a PNPN structure arranged to provide an SCR-like functionality, and a MOS gate structure, preferably integrated on a common substrate. The switch includes ohmic contacts for the MOS gate, and for the cathode and gate regions of the PNPN structure; the anode contact is intrinsic. A fixed voltage is typically applied to an external node. The MOS gate structure allows current to be conducted between the external node and the intrinsic anode when on, and the PNPN structure conducts the current from the anode to the cathode when an appropriate voltage is applied to the gate contact. Regenerative feedback keeps the switch on once it begins to conduct. The MOS gate inhibits the flow of current between the external node and anode—and thereby turns off the switch—when off. When on, the MOS gate's channel resistance serves as a ballast resistor.

Abstract: Provided are methods for producing multiple distinct transistors from a single semiconductor layer, and apparatus incorporating transistors so produced.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a semiconductor device including: a semiconductor layer that has a first-conductivity-type region, a second-conductivity-type region, a first-conductivity-type region, and a second-conductivity-type region that are adjacent to each other in that order; first and second electrodes that are connected to the first-conductivity-type region and the second-conductivity-type region, respectively, at both ends of the semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode that is coupled to the second-conductivity-type region or the first-conductivity-type region in an intermediate area of the semiconductor layer, the gate electrode being provided over a plurality of faces of a semiconductor layer portion serving as the second-conductivity-type region or the first-conductivity-type region in the intermediate area.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a thyristor formed thereon. The thyristor has at least four layers, with three P-N junctions therebetween. At least two of the layers are formed horizontally and at least two of the layers are formed vertically. A gate is formed adjacent at least one of the vertically formed layers. An access transistor is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and an interconnect is formed between the thyristor and the access transistor.