Abstract: The invention concerns a semiconductor component which can be controlled on the anode side and whose semiconductor body comprises a plurality of adjacent, parallel-connected unit cells having a thyristor structure. A lightly doped n-base region (3) is adjoined on both sides by highly doped p-regions constituting p-base region (2) and p-emitter region (4). The p-base region (2) is followed by a highly doped n-emitter (1) which contacts a cathode electrode (7). Integrated in the p-emitter region (4) is a first n-channel MOSFET (M1) which is connected in series with the thyristor structure by means of a floating electrode (FE). The drain electrode (5b) of the first MOSFET (M1) is provided with an outer anode (8) which has no contact with the p-emitter region (4). A second n-channel MOSFET (M2) is integrated between the n-base region (3) and the drain region (5b) of the first MOSFET (M1).

Abstract: A MOS-gate switched power semiconductor component with a semiconductor body that has a number of unit cells arranged side-by-side and switched in parallel and consisting of a p-emitter zone adjacent to the anode, an adjoining, weakly doped n-base zone, then a p-base zone and an adjoining n-emitter zone. Incorporated in the n-emitter zone of the unit cells are pairs of p.sup.+ zones (5a, 5b) which, together with the n zone between them and an insulated gate situated above, form a lateral p-channel MOSFET (M1). The n-emitter zone (4) is equipped with a floating cathode contact (K') which at the same time constitutes the electrode of the p.sup.+ region serving as source. The p+ region serving as drain is connected to an external cathode (K), which has no contact with the n-emitter zone. Another MOSFET is formed by the surface region of the p-base zone (3) and the intervening region of the n-emitter zone (4b) together with an insulating gate.

Abstract: A power diode includes at least one semiconductor body having an inner zone f a first conductivity type and a given doping level, a cathode zone of the first conductivity type and a doping level higher than the given doping level, and an anode zone of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type and a doping level higher than the given doping level. The inner zone has at least a first region with a first predetermined thickness being dimensioned for a required blocking voltage and a second region with a second thickness being greater than the first predetermined thickness by at least a factor of 1.4. The area and/or the minority carrier life of first and second partial diodes is dimensioned for causing a current flowing through the first partial diode in a conductive phase to be greater than a current flowing through the second partial diode by at least a factor of 2.

Abstract: A power semiconductor component which can be turned off by gate control and whose semiconductor body has a plurality of unit cells arranged side by side which are comprised of a p-emitter region (1) adjacent to the anode, an adjoining lightly doped n-base region (2), followed by a p-base region (3) and an n-emitter region (4) embedded therein and which unit cells form a thyristor structure. At least one p-region (5) is embedded in the n-emitter region (4) of the unit cells, with the p-region forming a ballast resistor and being provided with two ohmic contacts, one of which forms the outer cathode metallization (K), which has no contact with the n-emitter region (4), and the other of which is a floating contact (K') which simultaneously contacts the n-emitter region (4) ohmically.

Abstract: A semiconductor element having a p-zone on the anode side and an adjacent weakly doped n-zone which forms a blocking pn-junction with the p-zone, particularly a fast rectifier diode and a fast thyristor. To realize improved recovery behavior during commutation and good forward conduction and blocking characteristics in such components, the semiconductor element is configured in such a manner that the p-zone on the anode side includes an electron sink formed by a pn-junction formed of this zone and the adjacent n-zone; moreover, the thickness and the doping concentration of the region of the anode-side p-zone between the electron sink (S) and the pn-junction are selected in such a manner that the region of high injected charge carrier concentration under forward load extends close to the electron sink while, under a forward blocking load, the space charge zone in the p-zone does not extend to the electron sink.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gate turn-off thyristor which includes, per unit cell, a cathode-side emitter strip and two anode-side spaced emitter strips which overlap in position with the edge of the cathode-side emitter strip. In such a GTO thyristor, the maximum disconnectable anode current greatly decreases during turn-off with increasing voltage rise rate, since the electrical fields developing in the non-regenerative transistor region centered underneath the cathode-side emitter strip are too high. Reduction of the field intensity occurring in the non-regenerative transistor region and thus reduction in the decrease of the maximum disconnectable anode current is realized, according to the invention, in that a p-type zone is disposed between the two anode-side emitter strips to dynamically limit the electrical field, with this p-type zone injecting holes to a lesser degree than the adjacent emitter strips and essentially only during turn-off of high currents.

Abstract: The negative temperature coefficient effect, which results in destructive current flow above a certain temperature in a semiconductor device is counteracted by a layer of conductive material that has low resistance at normal temperatures but has a positive temperature coefficient that causes its resistance to rise to a high value at temperatures below the certain temperature. The layer is applied to electrodes of semiconductor devices to control current flowing therethrough.