Abstract: A power semiconductor device having a semiconductor body configured to conduct a load current is disclosed. In one example, the device includes a source region having dopants of a first conductivity type; a semiconductor channel region implemented in the semiconductor body and separating the source region from a remaining portion of the semiconductor body; a trench of a first trench type extending in the semiconductor body along an extension direction and being arranged adjacent to the semiconductor channel region, the trench of the first trench type including a control electrode that is insulated from the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body further comprises: a barrier region and a drift volume having at least a first drift region wherein the barrier region couples the first drift region with the semiconductor channel region.

Abstract: Semiconductor device is provided with a semiconductor body that includes a clamping structure including a first pn junction diode and a second pn junction diode serially connected back to back between a first contact and a second contact. A breakdown voltage of the first pn junction diode is greater than 100 V, and a breakdown voltage of the second pn junction diode is greater than 10 V.

Abstract: A method of operating an IGBT is described. The IGBT has gate, emitter and collector terminals, and IGBT cells, switchable diode cells, and non-switchable diode cells integrated in a semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the IGBT cells and switchable diode cells includes an operable switchable channel region. The IGBT is operated in a reverse conductive mode in which the IGBT cells are in a non-conductive mode and the switchable diode cells and the non-switchable diode cells are in a bipolar mode. The IGBT is brought from the reverse conductive mode to a transit mode in which at least some of the non-switchable diode cells are still in the bipolar mode, the IGBT cells are in the non-conductive mode, and the switchable diode cells are in a unipolar mode, by applying a gate voltage having an absolute value larger than a gate threshold voltage to the gate terminal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes transistor cells and enhancement cells. Each transistor cell includes a body zone that forms a first pn junction with a drift structure. The transistor cells may form, in the body zones, inversion channels when a first control signal exceeds a first threshold. The inversion channels form part of a connection between the drift structure and a first load electrode. A delay unit generates a second control signal which trailing edge is delayed with respect to a trailing edge of the first control signal. The enhancement cells form inversion layers in the drift structure when the second control signal falls below a second threshold lower than the first threshold. The inversion layers are effective as minority charge carrier emitters.

Abstract: Semiconductor device with a semiconductor body that includes a clamping structure including a pn junction diode and a Schottky junction diode serially connected back to back between a first contact and a second contact. A breakdown voltage of the pn junction diode is greater than 100 V and a breakdown voltage of the Schottky junction diode is greater than 10 V.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of a semiconductor device, the device includes first and second trenches formed in a semiconductor body and an electrode disposed in each of the trenches. One of the electrodes is a gate electrode, and the other electrode is electrically disconnected from the gate electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a semiconductor mesa between the trenches. The semiconductor mesa includes a separation region and at least one of a source region and a body region located in the semiconductor mesa. A drift zone is provided below the at least one of the source region and the body region. In the separation region, at least one of (i) a capacitive coupling between the gate electrode and the semiconductor mesa and (ii) a conductivity of majority charge carriers of the drift zone is lower than outside of the separation region.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device having a semiconductor body configured to conduct a load current is disclosed. In one example, the device includes a source region having dopants of a first conductivity type; a semiconductor channel region implemented in the semiconductor body and separating the source region from a remaining portion of the semiconductor body; a trench of a first trench type extending in the semiconductor body along an extension direction and being arranged adjacent to the semiconductor channel region, the trench of the first trench type including a control electrode that is insulated from the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body further comprises: a barrier region and a drift volume having at least a first drift region wherein the barrier region couples the first drift region with the semiconductor channel region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes at least one IGBT cell region, at least one switchable free-wheeling diode region, and at least one non-switchable free-wheeling diode region integrated in the same semiconductor substrate as the at least one IGBT cell region and the at least one switchable free-wheeling diode region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor mesa having source zones and at least one body zone forming first pn junctions with the source zones and a second pn junction with a drift zone. Electrode structures are provided on opposite sides of the semiconductor mesa, at least one of the electrode structures having a gate electrode configured to control a charge carrier flow through the at least one body zone. A separation region is arranged along an extension direction of the semiconductor mesa. In the separation region, the semiconductor mesa has a constricted portion that is partially or completely oxidized. Additional semiconductor device embodiments are described.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body coupled to first and second load terminals. The body includes: at least a diode structure configured to conduct a load current between the terminals and including an anode port electrically connected to the first load terminal and a cathode port electrically connected to the second load terminal; and drift and field stop regions of the same conductivity type. The cathode port includes first port sections and second port sections with dopants of the opposite conductivity type. A transition between each of the second port sections and the field stop region forms a respective pn-junction that extends along a first lateral direction. A diffusion voltage of a respective one of the pn-junctions in an extension direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction is greater than a lateral voltage drop laterally overlapping with the lateral extension of the respective pn-junction.

Abstract: A system and method for a power inverter with controllable clamps comprises a first voltage swing path, the first voltage swing path including a first plurality of power transistors, the first voltage swing path producing portions of a positive half-wave of an output signal when active; a second voltage swing path, the second voltage swing path including a second plurality of power transistors, the second voltage swing path producing portions of a negative half-wave of the output signal when active; a first clamping component coupled to the first voltage swing path, the first clamping component forming a freewheeling path for the first voltage swing path, the first clamping component comprising a control terminal, the first clamping component having a first stored charge when the control terminal is in a first state and a second stored charge when the control terminal is in a second state, the first stored charge being greater than the second stored charge; and a second clamping component coupled to the secon

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes transistor cells and control structures. The transistor cells include source zones of a first conductivity type and body zones of a second conductivity type. The source and body zones are formed in a semiconductor mesa formed from a portion of a semiconductor body. The control structures include first portions extending from a first surface into the semiconductor body on at least two opposing sides of the semiconductor mesa, second portions between the first portions and separated from the first surface by portions of the semiconductor mesa, and third portions connecting the first and the second portions and separated from the first surface by portions of the semiconductor mesa. Constricted sections of the semiconductor mesa separate third portions neighboring each other along a horizontal longitudinal extension of the semiconductor mesa.

Abstract: A transistor device includes a first emitter region of a first doping type, a second emitter region of a second doping type, a body of the second doping type, a drift region of the first doping type, a field-stop region of the first doping type, at least one boost structure, and a gate electrode. The boost structure is arranged between the field-stop region and the second emitter region. The at least one boost structure includes a base region of the first doping type and at least one auxiliary emitter region of the second doping type separated from the second emitter region by the base region. An overall dopant dose in the drift region and the field-stop region in a current flow direction of the transistor device is higher than a breakthrough charge of a semiconductor material of the drift region and the field-stop region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes transistor cells that connect a first load electrode with a drift structure forming first pn junctions with body zones when a gate voltage applied to a gate electrode exceeds a first threshold voltage. First auxiliary cells in a vertical projection of and electrically connected with the first load electrode are configured to inject charge carriers into the drift structure at least in a forward biased mode of the first pn junctions. Second auxiliary cells are configured to inject charge carriers into the drift structure at high emitter efficiency when in the forward biased mode of the first pn junctions the gate voltage is below a second threshold voltage lower than the first threshold voltage and at low emitter efficiency when the gate voltage exceeds the second threshold voltage.

Abstract: A transistor includes first and second load terminals and a semiconductor body coupled to both terminals. The semiconductor body includes: a drift region having dopants of a first conductivity type; a transistor section for conducting a forward load current and having a control head coupling the first load terminal to a first side of the drift region; and a diode section for conducting a reverse load current. A diode port couples the second load terminal to a second side of the drift region and includes: a first emitter electrically connected to the second load terminal and having dopants of the first conductivity type for injecting majority charge carriers into the drift region; and a second emitter having dopants of a second conductivity type for injecting minority charge carriers into the drift region. A pn-junction transition between the first and second emitters has a breakdown voltage of less than 10 V.

Abstract: A system and method for a power inverter with controllable clamps comprises a first voltage swing path, the first voltage swing path including a first plurality of power transistors, the first voltage swing path producing portions of a positive half-wave of an output signal when active; a second voltage swing path, the second voltage swing path including a second plurality of power transistors, the second voltage swing path producing portions of a negative half-wave of the output signal when active; a first clamping component coupled to the first voltage swing path, the first clamping component forming a freewheeling path for the first voltage swing path, the first clamping component comprising a control terminal, the first clamping component having a first stored charge when the control terminal is in a first state and a second stored charge when the control terminal is in a second state, the first stored charge being greater than the second stored charge; and a second clamping component coupled to the secon

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor mesa having source zones separated from each other along a longitudinal axis of the semiconductor mesa and at least one body zone forming first pn junctions with the source zones and a second pn junction with a drift zone. Electrode structures are on opposite sides of the semiconductor mesa, at least one of which includes a gate electrode configured to control a charge carrier flow through the at least one body zone. First portions of the at least one body zone are formed between the source zones and separation regions. In the separation regions, at least one of (i) a capacitive coupling between the gate electrode and the semiconductor mesa and (ii) a conductivity of majority charge carriers of the drift zone is lower than outside of the separation region.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device having a semiconductor body configured to conduct a load current is disclosed. In one example, the device includes a source region having dopants of a first conductivity type; a semiconductor channel region implemented in the semiconductor body and separating the source region from a remaining portion of the semiconductor body; a trench of a first trench type extending in the semiconductor body along an extension direction and being arranged adjacent to the semiconductor channel region, the trench of the first trench type including a control electrode that is insulated from the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body further comprises: a barrier region and a drift volume having at least a first drift region wherein the barrier region couples the first drift region with the semiconductor channel region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bipolar semiconductor device, comprising a semiconductor body having a first surface; and a base region of a first doping type and a first emitter region in the semiconductor body, wherein the first emitter region adjoins the first surface and comprises a plurality of first type emitter regions of a second doping type complementary to the first doping type, a plurality of second type emitter regions of the second doping type, a plurality of third type emitter regions of the first doping type, and a recombination region comprising recombination centers, wherein the first type emitter regions and the second type emitter regions extend from the first surface into the semiconductor body, wherein the first type emitter regions have a higher doping concentration and extend deeper into the semiconductor body from the first surface than the second type emitter regions, wherein the third type emitter regions adjoin the first type emitter regions and the second type emitter regions, and wherein the recom

Abstract: An electric assembly includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor device, a wide-bandgap transistor device electrically connected in parallel with the bipolar transistor device and a control circuit. The control circuit is electrically coupled to a gate terminal of the bipolar transistor device and to a control terminal of the wide-bandgap transistor device. The control circuit is configured to turn on the bipolar transistor device and to turn on the wide-bandgap transistor device at a predefined turn-on delay with respect to a turn-on of the bipolar transistor device.