Bidirectional Rectifier With Control Electrode (gate) (e.g., Triac) Patents (Class 257/119)
  • Publication number: 20140097464
    Abstract: The component incorporates, in topological terms, a scalable number of triac structures in a concentric annular arrangement. The component can be used with an electronic device to protect against electrostatic discharges. For example, the components can be used to protect the input/output pad, the first power supply terminal, and the second power supply terminal of an integrated circuit against electrostatic discharges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventors: Jean Jimenez, Philippe Galy, Boris Heitz
  • Patent number: 8664690
    Abstract: A bi-directional triode thyristor (TRIAC) device for high voltage electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection may include a substrate, an N+ doped buried layer, an N-type well region and two P-type well regions. The N+ doped buried layer may be disposed proximate to the substrate. The N-type well region may encompass the two P-type well regions such that a portion of the N-type well region is interposed between the two P-type well regions. The P-type well regions may be disposed proximate to the N+ doped buried layer and comprise one or more N+ doped plates and one or more P+ doped plates. The portion of the N-type well region that is interposed between the two P-type well regions may comprise one or more P-type portions, such as a P+ doped plate or a P-type implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsin-Liang Chen, Shuo-Lun Tu, Wing-Chor Chan, Shyi-Yuan Wu
  • Publication number: 20140034995
    Abstract: An insulated gate turn-off thyristor, formed as a die, has a layered structure including a p+ layer (e.g., a substrate), an n? layer, a p-well, vertical insulated gate regions formed in the p-well, and n+ regions between the gate regions, so that vertical NPN and PNP transistors are formed. The thyristor is formed of a matrix of cells. Due to the discontinuity along the edge cells, a relatively large number of holes are injected into the n? epi layer and drift into the edge p-well, normally creating a higher current along the edge and lowering the breakover voltage of the thyristor. To counter this effect, the dopant concentration of the n+ region(s) near the edge is reduced to reduce the NPN transistor beta and current along the edge, thus increasing the breakover voltage. Alternatively, a deep trench may circumscribe the edge cells to provide isolation from the injected holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Pakal Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Hidenori Akiyama, Richard A. Blanchard, Woytek Tworzydlo
  • Publication number: 20130320396
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a bidirectional ESD device which has a plurality of parallel switch legs. Each switch leg includes a first current switch and a second current switch in a back-to-back configuration. A first current supply node of each first current switch is coupled to a first terminal of the ESD device. A second current supply node of each second current switch is coupled to a second terminal of the ESD device. A first current collection node of each first current switch is coupled to a second current collection node of the corresponding second current switch. The first current collection nodes in each first current switch is not coupled to any other first current collection node, and similarly, the second current collection node in each instance second current switch is not coupled to any other second current collection node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Akram A. SALMAN, Farzan FARBIZ, Ann Margaret CONCANNON, Gianluca BOSELLI
  • Patent number: 8598620
    Abstract: A modified MOSFET structure comprises an integrated field effect rectifier connected between the source and drain of the MOSFET to shunt current during switching of the MOSFET. The integrated FER provides faster switching of the MOSFET due to the absence of injected carriers during switching while also decreasing the level of EMI relative to discrete solutions. The integrated structure of the MOSFET and FER can be fabricated using N-, multi-epitaxial and supertrench technologies, including 0.25 ?m technology. Self-aligned processing can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics N.V.
    Inventors: Alexei Ankoudinov, Vladimir Rodov, Richard Cordell
  • Patent number: 8552467
    Abstract: A vertical four-quadrant triac wherein the gate region, arranged on the side of a front surface, includes a U-shaped region of a first conductivity type, the base of the U lying against one side of the structure, the main front surface region of the second conductivity type extending in front of the gate region and being surrounded with portions of the main front surface region of the first conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
    Inventors: Samuel Menard, Dalaf Ali
  • Publication number: 20130228822
    Abstract: A vertical power component including a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type and, on the side of a lower surface supporting a single electrode, a well of the second conductivity type, in which the component periphery includes, on the lower surface side, a peripheral trench at least partially filled with a passivation and, between the well and the trench, a porous silicon insulating ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicants: Universite Francois Rabelais UFR Sciences et Techniques, STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
    Inventors: Samuel Menard, Yannick Hague, Gaël Gautier
  • Patent number: 8497526
    Abstract: In a DIAC-like device that includes an n+ and a p+ region connected to the high voltage node, and an n+ and a p+ region connected to the low voltage node, at least two MOS devices are formed between the n+ and p+ region connected to the high voltage node, and the n+ and p+ region connected to the low voltage node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Vladislav Vashchenko, Antonio Gallerano, Peter J. Hopper
  • Publication number: 20130105855
    Abstract: A gate amplification triac including in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type a vertical triac and a lateral bipolar transistor having its emitter connected to the triac gate, its base connected to a control terminal, and its collector connected to a terminal intended to be connected to a first reference voltage, the main terminal of the triac on the side of the transistor being intended to be connected to a second reference voltage, the transistor being formed in a first well of the second conductivity type and the triac comprising on the transistor side a second well of the second conductivity type, the first and second wells being formed so that the substrate-well breakdown voltage of the transistor is greater than the substrate-well breakdown voltage of the triac by at least the difference between the first and second reference voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
    Inventor: Yannick Hague
  • Patent number: 8421118
    Abstract: A rectifier building block has four electrodes: source, drain, gate and probe. The main current flows between the source and drain electrodes. The gate voltage controls the conductivity of a narrow channel under a MOS gate and can switch the RBB between OFF and ON states. Used in pairs, the RBB can be configured as a three terminal half-bridge rectifier which exhibits better than ideal diode performance, similar to synchronous rectifiers but without the need for control circuits. N-type and P-type pairs can be configured as a full bridge rectifier. Other combinations are possible to create a variety of devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics N.V.
    Inventors: Alexei Ankoudinov, Vladimir Rodov
  • Patent number: 8410519
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device that includes a plurality of multiple gate FinFETs (MuGFETs) is disclosed. Fins of different crystal orientations for PMOS and NMOS MuGFETs are formed through amorphization and crystal regrowth on a direct silicon bonded (DSB) hybrid orientation technology (HOT) substrate. PMOS MuGFET fins are formed with channels defined by fin sidewall surfaces having (110) crystal orientations. NMOS MuGFET fins are formed with channels defined by fin sidewall surfaces having (100) crystal orientations in a Manhattan layout with the sidewall channels of the different PMOS and NMOS MuGFETs aligned at 0° or 90° rotations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Weize Xiong, Cloves Rinn Cleavelin, Angelo Pinto, Rick L. Wise
  • Patent number: 8395204
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device, includes an element unit including a vertical-type MOSFET, the vertical-type MOSFET in including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer, a fourth semiconductor layer, a fifth semiconductor layer sequentially stacked in order, an impurity concentration of the second semiconductor layer being lower than the first semiconductor layer, an insulator covering inner surfaces of a plurality of trenches, the adjacent trenches being provided with a first interval in between, and a diode unit including basically with the units of the element unit, the adjacent trenches being provided with a second interval in between, the second interval being larger than the first interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yusuke Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8384058
    Abstract: A battery can be fabricated from a substrate including silicon. This allows the battery to be produced as an integrated unit. The battery includes a anode formed from an array of spaced elongated structures, such as pillars, which include silicon and which can be fabricated on the substrate. The battery also includes a cathode which can include lithium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nexeon Ltd.
    Inventor: Mino Green
  • Patent number: 8378382
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having high-aspect-ratio PN-junctions is provided. The semiconductor device includes a conducting layer. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of first doped regions formed over the conducting layer. The sidewalls of the doped regions are doped to form PN-junctions. The semiconductor device also includes a plurality of second doped regions over the first doped regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chao-I Wu, Ming Hsiu Lee
  • Patent number: 8357952
    Abstract: A power semiconductor structure with a field effect rectifier having a drain region, a body region, a source region, a gate channel, and a current channel is provided. The body region is substantially located above the drain region. The source region is located in the body region. The gate channel is located in the body region and adjacent to a gate structure. The current channel is located in the body region and is extended from the source region downward to the drain region. The current channel is adjacent to a conductive structure coupled to the source region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Great Power Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Kao-Way Tu
  • Publication number: 20130009204
    Abstract: An ESD protection circuit includes a pad of an IC, circuitry coupled to the pad for buffering data, an RC power clamp on the IC, and first and second silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) circuits. The RC power clamp is coupled between a positive power supply terminal and a ground terminal. The first SCR circuit is coupled between the pad and the positive power supply terminal. The first SCR circuit has a first trigger input coupled to the RC power clamp circuit. The second SCR circuit is coupled between the pad and the ground terminal. The second SCR circuit has a second trigger input coupled to the RC power clamp circuit. At least one of the SCR circuits includes a gated diode configured to selectively provide a short or relatively conductive electrical path between the pad and one of the positive power supply terminal and the ground terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming-Hsiang SONG, Jam-Wem LEE, Tzu-Heng CHANG, Yu-Ying HSU
  • Patent number: 8344415
    Abstract: A semiconductor component is disclosed. One embodiment provides a semiconductor body having a cell region with at least one zone of a first conduction type and at least one zone of a second conduction type in a rear side. A drift zone of the first conduction type in the cell region is provided. The drift zone contains at least one region through which charge carriers flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in one polarity and charge carriers do not flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in an opposite polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Holger Ruething, Frank Pfirsch, Armin Willmeroth, Frank Hille, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Patent number: 8338855
    Abstract: A voltage-controlled vertical bi-directional monolithic switch, referenced with respect to the rear surface of the switch, formed from a lightly-doped N-type semiconductor substrate, in which the control structure includes, on the front surface side, a first P-type well in which is formed an N-type region, and a second P-type well in which is formed a MOS transistor, the first P-type well and the gate of the MOS transistor being connected to a control terminal, said N-type region being connected to a main terminal of the MOS transistor, and the second main terminal of the MOS transistor being connected to the rear surface voltage of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Samuel Menard
  • Patent number: 8334579
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device and method for fabricating the integrated circuit device is disclosed. The integrated circuit device includes a substrate, a diffusion source, and a lightly doped diffusion region in contact with a conductive layer. A junction of the lightly doped diffusion region with the conductive layer forms a Schottky region. An annealing process is performed to form the lightly doped diffusion region. The annealing process causes dopants from the diffusion source (for example, an n-well disposed in the substrate) of the integrated circuit device to diffuse into a region of the substrate, thereby forming the lightly doped diffusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ping Chun Yeh, Der-Chyang Yeh, Chih-Ping Chao
  • Patent number: 8330198
    Abstract: A device for preventing current-leakage is located between a transistor and a capacitor of a memory cell. The two terminals of the device for preventing current-leakage are respectively connected with a slave terminal of the transistor and an electric pole of the capacitor. The device for preventing current-leakage has at least two p-n junctions. The device for preventing current-leakage is a lateral silicon controlled rectifier, a diode for alternating current, or a silicon controlled rectifier. By utilizing the driving characteristic of the device for preventing current-leakage, electric charge stored in the capacitor hardly passes through the device for preventing current-leakage when the transistor is turned off to improve the current-leakage problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Inotera Memories, Inc.
    Inventors: Shin Bin Huang, Chung-Lin Huang, Ching-Nan Hsiao, Tzung Han Lee
  • Publication number: 20120286321
    Abstract: The semiconductor device for protection from electrostatic discharges comprises several modules (MDi) for protection from electrostatic discharges comprising triggerable elements (TRi) coupled with triggering means, the said modules being connected between two terminals by the intermediary of a resistive network (R). A common semiconductor layer contacts all of the modules, each triggerable element (TRi) having at least one gate (GHi), and the triggering means comprise a single triggering circuit (TC) common to all of the triggerable elements and whose output is connected to the gates of all of the triggerable elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Philippe Galy, Jean Jimenez
  • Patent number: 8283695
    Abstract: Symmetrical/asymmetrical bidirectional S-shaped I-V characteristics with trigger voltages ranging from 10 V to over 40 V and relatively high holding current are obtained for advanced sub-micron silicided CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)/BiCMOS (Bipolar CMOS) technologies by custom implementation of P1-N2-P2-N1//N1-P3-N3-P1 lateral structures with embedded ballast resistance 58, 58A, 56, 56A and periphery guard-ring isolation 88-86. The bidirectional protection devices render a high level of electrostatic discharge (ESD) immunity for advanced CMOS/BiCMOS processes with no latchup problems. Novel design-adapted multifinger 354/interdigitated 336 layout schemes of the ESD protection cells allow for scaling-up the ESD performance of the protection structure and custom integration, while the I-V characteristics 480 are adjustable to the operating conditions of the integrated circuit (IC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignees: Intersil Americas Inc., University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Javier A. Salcedo, Juin J. Liou, Joseph C. Bernier, Donald K. Whitney
  • Publication number: 20120146089
    Abstract: A vertical four-quadrant triac wherein the gate region, arranged on the side of a front surface, includes a U-shaped region of a first conductivity type, the base of the U lying against one side of the structure, the main front surface region of the second conductivity type extending in front of the gate region and being surrounded with portions of the main front surface region of the first conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
    Inventors: Samuel Menard, Dalaf Ali
  • Patent number: 8148748
    Abstract: An Adjustable Field Effect Rectifier uses aspects of MOSFET structure together with an adjustment pocket or region to result in a device that functions reliably and efficiently at high voltages without significant negative resistance, while also permitting fast recovery and operation at high frequency without large electromagnetic interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics N.V.
    Inventors: Alexei Ankoudinov, Vladimir Rodov
  • Patent number: 8138546
    Abstract: A silicon control rectifier and an electrostatic discharge protection device of an integrated circuit including the silicon control rectifier. The silicon control rectifier includes a silicon body formed in a silicon layer in direct physical contact with a buried oxide layer of a silicon-on-insulator substrate, a top surface of the silicon layer defining a horizontal plane; and an anode of the silicon control rectifier formed in a first region of the silicon body and a cathode of the silicon control rectifier formed in an opposite second region of the silicon body, wherein a path of current flow between the anode and the cathode is only in a single horizontal direction parallel to the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Gauthier, Jr., Junjun Li, Souvick Mitra, Mahmoud A. Mousa, Christopher Stephen Putnam
  • Patent number: 8138522
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a switch element. The invention is characterized in that the switch element comprises three electrodes that are located in an electrolyte, two of which (source electrode and drain electrode) are interconnected by a bridge consisting of one or more atoms that can be reversibly opened and closed. The opening and closing of said contact between the source and drain electrodes can be controlled by the potential that is applied to the third electrode (gate electrode). The switch element is produced by the repeated application of potential cycles between the gate electrode and the source or drain electrode. The potential is increased and reduced during the potential cycles until the conductance between the source and drain electrode can be switched back and forth between two conductances, as a result of said change in potential in the gate electrode, as a reproducible function of the voltage of the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas Schimmel, Fangqing Xie, Christian Obermair
  • Patent number: 8134177
    Abstract: A switching element includes a first electrode having a first surface; a second electrode having a second surface which stands off from the first surface; and a channel region constituted by a plurality of unit channels, each unit channel having opposite ends thereof being in contact with the first electrode and the second electrode, and including fine particles which are aligned in lines in a first direction from the first surface of the first electrode to the second surface of the second electrode, and the unit channels being separated from one another in a second direction across the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kenichi Murooka
  • Publication number: 20120056238
    Abstract: A bidirectional silicon-controlled rectifier, wherein the conventional field oxide layer, which separates an anode structure from a cathode structure, is replaced by a field oxide layer having floating gates, a virtual gate or a virtual active region. Thus, the present invention can reduce or escape from the bird's beak effect of a field oxide layer, which results in crystalline defects, a concentrated current and a higher magnetic field and then causes abnormal operation of a rectifier. Thereby, the present invention can also reduce signal loss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Wen-Yi CHEN, Ryan Hsin-Chin JIANG, Ming-Dou KER
  • Patent number: 8101969
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a transistor is formed to have a first current flow path to selectively conduct current in both directions through the transistor and to have a second current flow path to selectively conduct current in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Francine Y. Robb, Stephen P. Robb
  • Publication number: 20110284921
    Abstract: A bidirectional switch controllable by a voltage between its gate and rear electrode and including an N-type semiconductor substrate surrounded with a P-type well; on the front surface side, a P-type well in which is formed a first N-type region; on the rear surface side, a P-type layer in which is formed a second N-type region. The well is doped to less than 1016 at./cm3, the exposed surfaces of this well being heavily P-type doped. At least a third P-type region, of same doping level as the well, is formed on the front surface side in the substrate, and contains at least a fourth N-type region of a doping level lower than 1017 at./cm3, on which is formed a Schottky contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: Samuel MENARD
  • Publication number: 20110284922
    Abstract: Symmetrical/asymmetrical bidirectional S-shaped I-V characteristics with trigger voltages ranging from 10 V to over 40 V and relatively high holding current are obtained for advanced sub-micron silicided CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)/BiCMOS (Bipolar CMOS) technologies by custom implementation of P1-N2-P2-N1//N1-P3-N3-P1 lateral structures with embedded ballast resistance 58, 58A, 56, 56A and periphery guard-ring isolation 88-86. The bidirectional protection devices render a high level of electrostatic discharge (ESD) immunity for advanced CMOS/BiCMOS processes with no latchup problems. Novel design-adapted multifinger 354/interdigitated 336 layout schemes of the ESD protection cells allow for scaling-up the ESD performance of the protection structure and custom integration, while the I-V characteristics 480 are adjustable to the operating conditions of the integrated circuit (IC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: INTERSIL AMERICAS INC.
    Inventors: Javier A. Salcedo, Juin J. Liou, Joseph C. Bernier, Donald K. Whitsey
  • Patent number: 8049278
    Abstract: An ESD device includes a low doped well connected to a first contact and a diffusion area connected to a second contact. A substrate between the low doped well and the diffusion area has a dopant polarity that is opposite a dopant polarity of the low doped well and the diffusion area. A distance between the low doped well and the diffusion area determines a triggering voltage of the ESD device. A depletion region is formed between the low doped well and the substrate when a reverse bias voltage is applied to the ESD device. A current discharging path is formed between the first contact and the second contact when the depletion region comes in to contact with the diffusion area. The substrate is biased by a connection to the second contact. Alternatively, an additional diffusion area with the same dopant polarity, connected to a third contact, biases the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Agnes Neves Woo
  • Publication number: 20110241067
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a switch element. The invention is characterized in that the switch element comprises three electrodes that are located in an electrolyte, two of which (source electrode and drain electrode) are interconnected by a bridge consisting of one or more atoms that can be reversibly opened and closed. The opening and closing of said contact between the source and drain electrodes can be controlled by the potential that is applied to the third electrode (gate electrode). The switch element is produced by the repeated application of potential cycles between the gate electrode and the source or drain electrode. The potential is increased and reduced during the potential cycles until the conductance between the source and drain electrode can be switched back and forth between two conductances, as a result of said change in potential in the gate electrode, as a reproducible function of the voltage of the gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas Schimmel, Fangqing Xie, Christian Obermair
  • Publication number: 20110210372
    Abstract: A high-voltage vertical power component including a lightly-doped semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type and, on the side of an upper surface, an upper semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type which does not extend all the way to the component periphery, wherein the component periphery includes, on the lower surface side, a ring-shaped diffused region of the second conductivity type extending across from one third to half of the component thickness; and on the upper surface side, an insulated ring-shaped groove crossing the substrate to penetrate into an upper portion of ring-shaped region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS
    Inventors: Samuel Menard, François Ihuel
  • Patent number: 8008687
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection device including a substrate, a first doped region, a first gate electrode, a second doped region, a second gate electrode, and a third doped region is disclosed. The substrate has a first conductive type. The first doped region has a second conductive type and is formed in the substrate. The first gate electrode is formed on the substrate. The second doped region has the second conductive type and is formed in the substrate. A transistor is constituted by the first doped region, the first gate electrode, and the second doped region. The second gate electrode is formed on the substrate. The first and the second gate electrodes are separated. The third doped region has the first conductive type and is formed in the substrate. A discharge element is constituted by the first doped region, the second gate electrode, and the third doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Shang-Hui Tu, Hung-Shern Tsai
  • Patent number: 7968907
    Abstract: An over-voltage protection thyristor has reduced junction capacitance making it suitable for use in high bandwidth applications. The reduced capacitance is achieved through the introduction of a deep base region. The deep base region has a graded doping concentration which reduces with depth into the substrate. The thyristor is useful for protecting sensitive electrical equipment from transient surges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Pan Jit Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: George Templeton, James Washburn
  • Patent number: 7960217
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a switch element. The invention is characterised in that the switch element comprises three electrodes that are located in an electrolyte, two of which (source electrode and drain electrode) are interconnected by a bridge consisting of one or more atoms that can be reversibly opened and closed. The opening and closing of said contact between the source and drain electrodes can be controlled by the potential that is applied to the third electrode (gate electrode). The switch element is produced by the repeated application of potential cycles between the gate electrode and the source or drain electrode. The potential is increased and reduced during the potential cycles until the conductance between the source and drain electrode can be switched back and forth between two conductances, as a result of said change in potential in the gate electrode, as a reproducible function of the voltage of the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas Schimmel, Fangqing Xie, Christian Obermair
  • Patent number: 7910410
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Cai
  • Publication number: 20110049561
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor bistable switching device that includes a thyristor portion including an anode layer, a drift layer, a gate layer and a cathode layer, the gate layer operable to receive a gate trigger current that, when the anode layer is positively biased relative to the cathode layer, causes the thyristor portion to latch into a conducting mode between the anode and the cathode. The device also includes a transistor portion formed on the thyristor portion, the transistor portion including a source, a drain and a transistor gate, the drain coupled to the cathode of the thyristor portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Robert J. Callanan, Sei-Hyung Ryu, Qingchun Zhang
  • Patent number: 7897994
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit device that includes a plurality of MuGFETs is disclosed. A PMOS fin of a MuGFET is formed on a substrate. The PMOS fin includes a channel of a first surface of a first crystal orientation. A NMOS fin of another MuGFET is formed on the substrate. The NMOS fin includes a channel on the substrate at one of 0° and 90° to the PMOS fin and includes a second surface of a second crystal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Weize Xiong, Cloves Rinn Cleavelin, Angelo Pinto, Rick L. Wise
  • Patent number: 7825429
    Abstract: A tunable voltage isolation ground to ground ESD clamp is provided. The clamp includes a dual-direction silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and trigger elements. The SCR is coupled between first and second grounds. The trigger elements are also coupled between the first and second grounds. Moreover, the trigger elements are configured to provide a trigger current to the dual-direction silicon controlled rectifier when a desired voltage between the first and second grounds is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Vinson
  • Patent number: 7745845
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Cai
  • Patent number: 7718473
    Abstract: An HF control bi-directional switch component of the type having its gate referenced to the rear surface formed in the front surface of a peripheral well of the component, including two independent gate regions intended to be respectively connected to terminals of a transformer having a midpoint connected to the rear surface terminal of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A
    Inventor: Samuel Menard
  • Patent number: 7635614
    Abstract: An NLDMOS SCR device based on an LDMOS fabrication process includes a dual gate to provide controllable switching characteristics to allow it to be used for ESD protection of fast switching voltage regulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Vladimir Kuznetsov, Vladislav Vashchenko, Peter J. Hopper
  • Publication number: 20090267110
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventor: Jun Cai
  • Patent number: 7592642
    Abstract: A thyristor-based memory device may comprise two base regions of opposite type conductivity formed between a cathode-emitter region and an anode-emitter region. A junction defined between the p-base region and the cathode-emitter region of the thyristor may be “treated” with a high ionization energy acceptor such as indium in combination with carbon as an activation assist species. These two implants may form complexes that may extend across the junction region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: T-RAM Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Srinivasa R. Banna, James D. Plummer
  • Publication number: 20090179222
    Abstract: A silicon controlled rectifier structure of polygonal layouts is provided. The polygonal first conductive type doped region is located in the middle of the polygonal second conductive type well. The first conductive type well shaped as a polygonal ring surrounds the second conductive type well and the second conductive type doped region is located within the first conductive type well and shaped as a polygonal ring concentric to the first conductive type well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Ming-Dou Ker, Chun-Yu Lin, Chang-Tzu Wang
  • Patent number: 7538362
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lateral semiconductor diode, in which contact metal fillings (6, 7), which run in trenches (3, 4) in particular in a silicon carbide body (1, 2), are interdigitated at a distance from one another, and a rectifying Schottky or pn junction (18) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Gabriel Konrad Dehlinger, Michael Treu
  • Patent number: 7511316
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided which comprises a periphery region 23a extending downward from a third semiconducting region 23, enveloping an outer surfaces 21a and 22b of first and second semiconducting regions 21 and 22. A PN junctions is formed between second and third semiconducting regions 22, 23 inside of periphery region 23a perfectly away from side surfaces 28 of semiconductor substrate 27 to exert no adverse effect on breakdown by crystal defect in and foreign matters attached to side surfaces of semiconductor substrate 27. As periphery region 23a has the thinner diffusion concentration of impurity with the deeper area of periphery region 23a to widely spread depletion layer on boundary of the periphery region 23a with increase electric resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Andoh
  • Patent number: 7465964
    Abstract: A high voltage/power semiconductor device has a substrate, an insulating layer on the substrate, and a semiconductor layer on the insulating layer. Low and high voltage terminals are connected to the semiconductor layer. The device has a control terminal. The semiconductor layer includes a drift region and a relatively highly doped injector region between the drift region and the high voltage terminal. The device has a relatively highly doped region in electrical contact with the highly doped injector region and the high voltage terminal and forming a semiconductor junction with the substrate. The combination of the insulating layer and the relatively highly doped region of the first conductivity type effectively isolate the highly doped injector region from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Cambridge Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Florin Udrea