Abstract: A semiconductor device which can avoid increase of a conduction loss of an IGBT, secure a low noise characteristic and also reduce a switch loss. The switching device is of a trench gate type, in which a drift n? layer 110 is exposed to its main surface to a floating p layer 126 and to trench gates. In other words, the floating p layer 126 is provided within the drift n? layer 110 to be spaced from the trench gates.

Abstract: A capacitor module in which the structure of a connecting portion is highly resistant against vibration and has a low inductance. The capacitor module includes a plurality of capacitors and a laminate made up of a first wide conductor and a second wide conductor joined in a layered form with an insulation sheet interposed between the first and second wide conductors. The laminate comprises a first flat portion including the plurality of capacitors which are supported thereon and electrically connected thereto, a second flat portion continuously extending from the first flat portion while being bent, and connecting portions formed at ends of the first flat portion and the second flat portion and electrically connected to the exterior.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for driving a semiconductor device, which is adaptable for demands, such as a higher output (larger current), a higher voltage, and a smaller loss, and has a small size, is produced at a low cost, and has high reliability. A power converter including such an integrated circuit is also provided. Circuit elements constituting a drive section of an upper arm drive circuit 212, a level shift circuit 20 including a current sensing circuit 210, a drive section of a lower arm drive circuit 222, and a drive signal processing circuit 224 are integrated and built in one high withstand voltage IC chip 200. Circuit elements constituting a final output stage buffer section 213 of the upper arm drive circuit 212 are built in a vertical p-channel MOS-FET chip 213p and a vertical n-channel MOS-FET chip 213n.

Abstract: A power converter in which the structure of a connecting portion is highly resistant against vibration and has a low inductance. The power converter includes a plurality of capacitors and a laminate made up of a first wide conductor and a second wide conductor joined in a layered form with an insulation sheet interposed between the first and second wide conductors. The laminate comprises a first flat portion including the plurality of capacitors which are supported thereon and electrically connected thereto, a second flat portion continuously extending from the first flat portion while being bent, and connecting portions formed at ends of the first flat portion and the second flat portion and electrically connected to the exterior.

Abstract: A capacitor module in which the structure of a connecting portion is highly resistant against vibration and has a low inductance. The capacitor module includes a plurality of capacitors and a laminate made up of a first wide conductor and a second wide conductor joined in a layered form with an insulation sheet interposed between the first and second wide conductors. The laminate comprises a first flat portion including the plurality of capacitors which are supported thereon and electrically connected thereto, a second flat portion continuously extending from the first flat portion while being bent, and connecting portions formed at ends of the first flat portion and the second flat portion and electrically connected to the exterior.

Abstract: A capacitor module in which the structure of a connecting portion is highly resistant against vibration and has a low inductance. The capacitor module includes a plurality of capacitors and a laminate made up of a first wide conductor and a second wide conductor joined in a layered form with an insulation sheet interposed between the first and second wide conductors. The laminate comprises a first flat portion including the plurality of capacitors which are supported thereon and electrically connected thereto, a second flat portion continuously extending from the first flat portion while being bent, and connecting portions formed at ends of the first flat portion and the second flat portion and electrically connected to the exterior.

Abstract: A semiconductor device provides a gate electrode formed on a lateral face of a wide trench, and thereby the gate electrode is covered by a gate insulating layer and a thick insulating layer to be an inter layer. Therefore, a parasitic capacitance of the gate becomes small, and there is no potential variation of the gate since there is no floating p-layer so that a controllability of the dv/dt can be improved. In addition, the conductive layer between the gate electrodes can relax the electric field applied to the corner of the gate electrode. In consequence, compatibility of low loss and low noise and high reliability can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly reliable electric power converter reduced in parasitic inductance.

Abstract: A fourth semiconductor region of a first conduction type is provided in a partial region of a third semiconductor region of a second conduction type. This configuration enhances the blocking voltage at the time when the sheet carrier concentration of a fifth semiconductor region is enhanced.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a power converter using it wherein a switching power device and a flywheel diode are connected in series, the flywheel diode includes a region having a Schottky junction to operate as a Schottky diode and a region having a pn junction to operate as a pn diode and control operation is performed such that when current flows forwardly through the flywheel diode, the pn diode operates and when the flywheel diode recovers backwardly, the Schottky diode operates mainly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle power module and a power converter including a power semiconductor element (328), a plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, 373U) for transmitting current to the power semiconductor element (328), and a metallic base (304) upon which the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, and 373U) are mounted; and the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, and 373U) are mounted upon the metallic base (304) so as to form a looped current path. Desirably, the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, 373U) are arranged so as to form two or more looped current paths.

Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a SOI type high withstand voltage semiconductor device formed on a support substrate via an insulation film, a small-sized semiconductor device having small dispersion of withstand voltage is manufactured by introducing impurities into the whole surface of a p-type or n-type SOI substrate having an impurity concentration of 2E14 cm?3 or less and serving as an active layer of the semiconductor device with an ion implantation method and thereby forming a drift layer.

Abstract: A power module includes an upper arm circuit unit and a lower arm circuit unit each having a power semiconductor element; an insulating substrate with the units mounted on one surface thereof; a metal base bonded onto the other surface of the substrate opposite to the one surface where the units are mounted; a first connection conductor for supplying a high potential to the upper unit from outside; a second connection conductor for supplying a low potential to the lower unit from outside; an insulating sheet interposed between the conductors; and a resin case disposed on the metal base to support the conductors, the conductors are flat conductors and laminated with the sheet sandwiched therebetween; the sheet extends from one end of the laminated structure to secure the creepage distance between the conductors; and the case is furnished with a recess for containing the laminated structure.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power converter including means for accurately detecting a principal current of IGBT. An electric power conversion device according to the present invention includes principal current estimation means for estimating a principal current by using: an output of temperature measuring means whose diode is disposed in the same semiconductor substrate as an IGBT including an emitter having flowing therethrough the principal current and a sense emitter having flowing therethrough a sense current proportional to the principal current; the sense current; and the information, preliminarily stored in memory means, on the relationship among the semiconductor substrate temperature, the principal current and the sense currant.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for driving a semiconductor device, which is adaptable for demands, such as a higher output (larger current), a higher voltage, and a smaller loss, and has a small size, is produced at a low cost, and has high reliability. A power converter including such an integrated circuit is also provided. Circuit elements constituting a drive section of an upper arm drive circuit 212, a level shift circuit 20 including a current sensing circuit 210, a drive section of a lower arm drive circuit 222, and a drive signal processing circuit 224 are integrated and built in one high withstand voltage IC chip 200. Circuit elements constituting a final output stage buffer section 213 of the upper arm drive circuit 212 are built in a vertical p-channel MOS-FET chip 213p and a vertical n-channel MOS-FET chip 213n.

Abstract: To provide an AC-PDP capable of achieving low power consumption and low cost, a driving method is adopted in which, during a period of sustaining light emission of the AC-PDP, an electrode of one side of the panel is fixed at a predetermined potential, and positive and negative voltages are alternately applied to an electrode of the other side of the panel. In addition, an IGBT is used as a switch element. Thus, with a half-bridge driving method using an IGBT as a switch element, it is possible to simultaneously achieve a reduction in loss of a driving circuit of the AC-PDP and a reduction in the number of components thereof, such reductions not being able to be achieved by the conventional techniques.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for driving a semiconductor device, which is adaptable for demands, such as a higher output (larger current), a higher voltage, and a smaller loss, and has a small size, is produced at a low cost, and has high reliability. A power converter including such an integrated circuit is also provided. Circuit elements constituting a drive section of an upper arm drive circuit 212, a level shift circuit 20 including a current sensing circuit 210, a drive section of a lower arm drive circuit 222, and a drive signal processing circuit 224 are integrated and built in one high withstand voltage IC chip 200. Circuit elements constituting a final output stage buffer section 213 of the upper arm drive circuit 212 are built in a vertical p-channel MOS-FET chip 213p and a vertical n-channel MOS-FET chip 213n.

Abstract: An elastic printed board is provided so that stress applied by the silicon gel is absorbed by the printed board. Further, the printed board is formed to be so narrow that the stress can escape. On the other hand, the wires on which a high voltage is applied are patterned on respective printed boards. This serves to prevent discharge through the surface of the same printed board serving as a current passage. This design makes it possible to hermetically close the power module, prevent intrusion of moisture or contamination as well as displacement, transformation and cracks of the cover plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly reliable electric power converter reduced in parasitic inductance.

Abstract: A capacitor module in which the structure of a connecting portion is highly resistant against vibration and has a low inductance. The capacitor module includes a plurality of capacitors and a laminate made up of a first wide conductor and a second wide conductor joined in a layered form with an insulation sheet interposed between the first and second wide conductors. The laminate comprises a first flat portion including the plurality of capacitors which are supported thereon and electrically connected thereto, a second flat portion continuously extending from the first flat portion while being bent, and connecting portions formed at ends of the first flat portion and the second flat portion and electrically connected to the exterior.