US2827599A - Transistor - Google Patents

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US2827599A
US2827599A US424173A US42417354A US2827599A US 2827599 A US2827599 A US 2827599A US 424173 A US424173 A US 424173A US 42417354 A US42417354 A US 42417354A US 2827599 A US2827599 A US 2827599A
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collector
emitter
transistor
semi
base
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US424173A
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Jochems Pieter Johan Wilhelmus
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US Philips Corp
North American Philips Co Inc
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US Philips Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L23/00—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices
    • H01L23/28—Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulating layers, coatings, e.g. for protection
    • H01L23/29—Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulating layers, coatings, e.g. for protection characterised by the material, e.g. carbon
    • H01L23/291—Oxides or nitrides or carbides, e.g. ceramics, glass
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching, or capacitors or resistors with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof  ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L2924/00—Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
    • H01L2924/0001—Technical content checked by a classifier
    • H01L2924/0002—Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Definitions

  • This invention releates to transistors comprising a semiconductive member having secured to it one base and at least two other electrodes, that is to say at least one emitter and one collector. Barrier layers or rectifying junctions are provided between the member and the emitter or collector terminals, but in general, such a barrier is not provided between the member and the base. Said member is usually a monocrystal.
  • the ratio of said variations is the current amplification factor This factor should preferably be as large as possible.
  • the invention has inter alia for its object to increase the current amplification factor, particularly at high values of 1 and 1,. It is based on the recognition that under given conditions a considerable part of the current supplied by the emitter may flow to the base and does not contribute to influencing the collector current.
  • the invention provides means for considerably reducing said loss.
  • the invention permits of reducing the so-called saturation current in the collector circuit, that is to say the collector current at an emitter current equal to zero and at a constant collector voltage.
  • the semi-conductive member comprises at least one insulating part whereof the surface at least partly adjoins an emitter or a collector. That is, a nonconductive region is interposed between the emitter or collector and the base electrode.
  • Such an insulating part preferably consists of a cavity in the semi-conductive member, for example a bore or a sawcut.
  • the emitter and collector, or plural emitters and collectors, as the case may be, are preferably of the diffusion type, which may, for example, be obtained by fusing given metals onto the semi-conductive member.
  • the emitters and collectors which have a comparatively large surface, and which are sometimes referred to as broad area rectifying connections, frequently possess parts which do not contribute to the chiciency of the transistor.
  • the invention is of particular importance for transistors of comparatively high power, whose emitter and collector have a large surface and are alternately juxtaposed on the semi-conductive member.
  • Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a transistor comprising one emitter and one collector.
  • Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a transistor comprising a number of such emitters and collectors.
  • Figures 3 and 5 are perspective views of a semi-conductive member and Figures 4, 4a, 6 and 7 are sectional views of transistors made by means of said member.
  • the transistor shown in Fig. 1 comprises a semi-conductive member or body 1, for example consisting of a mono-crystal of n-type germanium, which is soldered to a base 2, which thus constitutes a base ohmic connection to the body 1.
  • This member 1 has secured to it an emitter 3 and a collector 4, both of which may consist of a quantity of indium fused onto the body. in this manner the underlying germanium is locally converted into p-type germanium at the two regions indicated by reference numeral 5, as indicated by double cross-hatching, barriers or rectifying junctions being situated at the limiting surfaces of these opposite types of germanium.
  • An insulating part or non-conductive region in the form of a cavity 6 is situated beneath the emitter 3 and thus between the latter and the adjacent ptype region 5, and the base connection 2.
  • a part '7 of the surface of the emitter 3 is made inactive with the effect that the remaining active surface influences the collector 4 to a relatively higher degree.
  • a part of the contact surface of the emitter 3 and the semi-conductive member 1, which part is situated at the left of the cavity 6, still provides emitter current which does not practically affect the collector.
  • FIG. 2 shows a transistor comprising two emitters 3 and three collectors 4. Beneath each emitter and each collector are provided cavities 6 so that all surface parts of the emitters, which contact with the semi-conductive member, face a collector, and the current passing through the emitters (to be connected in parallel) is able to exert a comparatively strong influence on the current passing through the collectors (also to be connected in parallel). Furthermore, the active surfaces of the collectors mainly face the emitters, thus avoiding as much as possible a direct current path from the collectors to the base and reducing the saturation current of the collector.
  • the shape of the insulating or non-conductive parts will partly depend upon the properties of the semi-conductive material.
  • this material is germanium it may, for example, be processed by sawing or drilling.
  • a number of parallel slots 3, as shown in Fig. 3, may be provided by sawing in the surface of the semi-conductive member remote from the base.
  • the upper part of said slots is filled with longitudinal indium strips 9.
  • this indium metal will fuse together with the germanium and partly difiuse into it to produce the regions of opposite conductivity type to that of the member 1 (Fig. 4).
  • the bottom of said slots may be covered with insulating material 14, for example SiO as shown in Fig. 4a.
  • FIGs 5 to 7 show another embodiment in which openings 11 are drilled in a fiat semi-conductive member 10 (Fig. 5). Said openings may either extend to the base 2, as shown in Fig. 6 or through said base as shown in Fig. 7. Into each opening a drop of indium is melted, which drops may be alternately connected as emitter and collector respectively.
  • preferred constructions comprise insulating parts in the form of cavities which extend to the outer surface of the member as shown in Fig. 7 and consequently not those shown in Fig. 6.
  • the etching liquid is allowedto pene' trate into the cavities.
  • a transistor comprising a semi-conductive member of one conductivity type, a base ohmic connection to said member, a pair of spaced regions in said member of the opposite conductivity type, and emitter-and collector terminal connections to said regions, said member containing anon-conductive region located between at least one ,of said regions of the opposite conductivity type and said of one conductivity type, a base ohmic connection to one 3 surface of said member, and a plurality of broad area rectifying connections to another surface of said member, said member containing at least one non-conducting portion disposed underneath one of said broad area rectifying connections and between the latter and the base connection. 7 a
  • a transistor comprising a semi-conductive member of one conductivity type, a base ohmic connection to one surface of said member, and at least three broad area rec-'- tifying connections to another surface of said member, said member containing at least one non-conducting por 7 tion disposed underneath one of said broad ar a rectifying connections and between the latter and the base connec- 'one electrode.
  • a transistor as set forth 'in claim 8 wherein the rectifying connections have an elongated form and extend approximately parallel, to one, another.
  • a transistor comprising a semi-conductive body having ;a groove of given width in one surface thereof defining anon-conducting portion in said body, emitter and collector electrodes connected in spaced relationship 7 to said body, at least one of said electrodes being constituted-by a metallic body having a width greater than.
  • said given width disposed over said groove in contact With andxliffused into adjacent surfaces thereof, the bottom of said groove remaining free of conductive material, and a base electrode secured toca surface of said semi-conductive body opposite said one'surface.
  • a transistor comprising a' semi-conductive body having a cylindrical bore of given diameter extending through said body and defining in said body a non-conducting portion, emitter and collector electrodes con nected in spaced relationship to said body, one of said electrodes being constitutedby a metallic body having at least one dimension greater than said given diameter and disposed over one end of said bore in contact With'and difiu'sed into surface portions of said body surrounding said bore, the bottom of said bore remaining free of con ductive material, and a base electrode secured to a sur-P face of 'said'semi-conductive body opposite from said 12.

Description

March 18, 1958 P. J.- W. JOCHEMS TRANSISTOR Filed April 19, 1954 lN VEN TOR PIETER JOHANNES WILHE LMUS JOCH EMS AGENT United States Patent 3 F TRANSISTOR Pieter Johannes Wiihelmus Jochems, Eindhoven, Netherlands, assignor, by mesne assignments, to North American Philips Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 19, 1954, Serial No. 424,173
Claims priority, application Netherlands May 1, 1953 12 Claims. (Cl. 317-235) This invention releates to transistors comprising a semiconductive member having secured to it one base and at least two other electrodes, that is to say at least one emitter and one collector. Barrier layers or rectifying junctions are provided between the member and the emitter or collector terminals, but in general, such a barrier is not provided between the member and the base. Said member is usually a monocrystal.
It is known that, when an emitter and a base are provided in an electric circuit, a variation of the current I in this circuit involves a variation of the current I in a second circuit including the base and a collector.
At a constant voltage E in the collector circuit, the ratio of said variations is the current amplification factor This factor should preferably be as large as possible.
The invention has inter alia for its object to increase the current amplification factor, particularly at high values of 1 and 1,. It is based on the recognition that under given conditions a considerable part of the current supplied by the emitter may flow to the base and does not contribute to influencing the collector current. The invention provides means for considerably reducing said loss.
Furthermore, the invention permits of reducing the so-called saturation current in the collector circuit, that is to say the collector current at an emitter current equal to zero and at a constant collector voltage.
According to the invention, the semi-conductive member comprises at least one insulating part whereof the surface at least partly adjoins an emitter or a collector. That is, a nonconductive region is interposed between the emitter or collector and the base electrode.
Consequently, such an insulating part compels the current to follow a given direction and diminishes the ineffective part of said emitter or collector.
Such an insulating part preferably consists of a cavity in the semi-conductive member, for example a bore or a sawcut.
The emitter and collector, or plural emitters and collectors, as the case may be, are preferably of the diffusion type, which may, for example, be obtained by fusing given metals onto the semi-conductive member. As a matter of fact, such emitters and collectors, which have a comparatively large surface, and which are sometimes referred to as broad area rectifying connections, frequently possess parts which do not contribute to the chiciency of the transistor.
The invention is of particular importance for transistors of comparatively high power, whose emitter and collector have a large surface and are alternately juxtaposed on the semi-conductive member.
In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described in greater detail with 2,827,599 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 reference to the accompanying drawing, which represents several examples thereof and in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a transistor comprising one emitter and one collector.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a transistor comprising a number of such emitters and collectors.
Figures 3 and 5 are perspective views of a semi-conductive member and Figures 4, 4a, 6 and 7 are sectional views of transistors made by means of said member.
The transistor shown in Fig. 1 comprises a semi-conductive member or body 1, for example consisting of a mono-crystal of n-type germanium, which is soldered to a base 2, which thus constitutes a base ohmic connection to the body 1. This member 1 has secured to it an emitter 3 and a collector 4, both of which may consist of a quantity of indium fused onto the body. in this manner the underlying germanium is locally converted into p-type germanium at the two regions indicated by reference numeral 5, as indicated by double cross-hatching, barriers or rectifying junctions being situated at the limiting surfaces of these opposite types of germanium. An insulating part or non-conductive region in the form of a cavity 6 is situated beneath the emitter 3 and thus between the latter and the adjacent ptype region 5, and the base connection 2. Thus a part '7 of the surface of the emitter 3 is made inactive with the effect that the remaining active surface influences the collector 4 to a relatively higher degree. However, a part of the contact surface of the emitter 3 and the semi-conductive member 1, which part is situated at the left of the cavity 6, still provides emitter current which does not practically affect the collector.
Therefore it is advisable to provide insulating parts beneath an emitter situated between two collectors. Fig. 2 shows a transistor comprising two emitters 3 and three collectors 4. Beneath each emitter and each collector are provided cavities 6 so that all surface parts of the emitters, which contact with the semi-conductive member, face a collector, and the current passing through the emitters (to be connected in parallel) is able to exert a comparatively strong influence on the current passing through the collectors (also to be connected in parallel). Furthermore, the active surfaces of the collectors mainly face the emitters, thus avoiding as much as possible a direct current path from the collectors to the base and reducing the saturation current of the collector.
The shape of the insulating or non-conductive parts will partly depend upon the properties of the semi-conductive material. When this material is germanium it may, for example, be processed by sawing or drilling.
A number of parallel slots 3, as shown in Fig. 3, may be provided by sawing in the surface of the semi-conductive member remote from the base. The upper part of said slots is filled with longitudinal indium strips 9. Upon heating, this indium metal will fuse together with the germanium and partly difiuse into it to produce the regions of opposite conductivity type to that of the member 1 (Fig. 4). In order to prevent the indium from filling the slots completely, the bottom of said slots may be covered with insulating material 14, for example SiO as shown in Fig. 4a.
Figures 5 to 7 show another embodiment in which openings 11 are drilled in a fiat semi-conductive member 10 (Fig. 5). Said openings may either extend to the base 2, as shown in Fig. 6 or through said base as shown in Fig. 7. Into each opening a drop of indium is melted, which drops may be alternately connected as emitter and collector respectively.
If the transistor is required to be etched after melting on the emitters and the collectors, preferred constructions comprise insulating parts in the form of cavities which extend to the outer surface of the member as shown in Fig. 7 and consequently not those shown in Fig. 6. In the first-mentionedcase, the etching liquid is allowedto pene' trate into the cavities.
What is claimed is:
l, A transistor comprising a semi-conductive member of one conductivity type, a base ohmic connection to said member, a pair of spaced regions in said member of the opposite conductivity type, and emitter-and collector terminal connections to said regions, said member containing anon-conductive region located between at least one ,of said regions of the opposite conductivity type and said of one conductivity type, a base ohmic connection to one 3 surface of said member, and a plurality of broad area rectifying connections to another surface of said member, said member containing at least one non-conducting portion disposed underneath one of said broad area rectifying connections and between the latter and the base connection. 7 a
' 7. A transistor as set forth in claim 6 wherein a no conducting portion is present underneath each ,of the broad area rectifying connections. 7 V V Y r V 8. A transistor comprising a semi-conductive member of one conductivity type, a base ohmic connection to one surface of said member, and at least three broad area rec-'- tifying connections to another surface of said member, said member containing at least one non-conducting por 7 tion disposed underneath one of said broad ar a rectifying connections and between the latter and the base connec- 'one electrode.
4' i tion, the remaining two rectifying connections being electrically interconnected and being situated on opposite sides of said one rectifying'connection,
9. A transistor as set forth 'in claim 8, wherein the rectifying connections have an elongated form and extend approximately parallel, to one, another. V
10. A transistor comprising a semi-conductive body having ;a groove of given width in one surface thereof defining anon-conducting portion in said body, emitter and collector electrodes connected in spaced relationship 7 to said body, at least one of said electrodes being constituted-by a metallic body having a width greater than.
said given width" disposed over said groove in contact With andxliffused into adjacent surfaces thereof, the bottom of said groove remaining free of conductive material, and a base electrode secured toca surface of said semi-conductive body opposite said one'surface.
ll. A transistor comprising a' semi-conductive body having a cylindrical bore of given diameter extending through said body and defining in said body a non-conducting portion, emitter and collector electrodes con nected in spaced relationship to said body, one of said electrodes being constitutedby a metallic body having at least one dimension greater than said given diameter and disposed over one end of said bore in contact With'and difiu'sed into surface portions of said body surrounding said bore, the bottom of said bore remaining free of con ductive material, and a base electrode secured to a sur-P face of 'said'semi-conductive body opposite from said 12. A transistor as set forth claim 11 wherein base electrode has an opening therein aligned with said cylindrical bore. 7
References Cited in the file of this patent 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS Shockley *Jan. 19, 1 954 7

Claims (1)

1. A TRANSISTOR COMPRISING A SEMI-CONDUCTIVE MEMBER OF ONE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE, A BASE OHMIC CONNECTION TO SAID MEMBER, A PAIR OF SPACED REGIONS IN SAID MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE, AND EMITTER AND COLLECTOR TERMINAL CONNECTIONS TO SAID REGIONS, SAID MEMBER CONTAIN-
US424173A 1953-05-01 1954-04-19 Transistor Expired - Lifetime US2827599A (en)

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DE (1) DE1770266U (en)
FR (1) FR1099770A (en)
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Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2929006A (en) * 1954-12-02 1960-03-15 Siemens Ag Junction transistor
US2959718A (en) * 1957-04-08 1960-11-08 Int Rectifier Corp Rectifier assembly
US3063129A (en) * 1956-08-08 1962-11-13 Bendix Corp Transistor
US3312879A (en) * 1964-07-29 1967-04-04 North American Aviation Inc Semiconductor structure including opposite conductivity segments
US3443173A (en) * 1966-05-17 1969-05-06 Sprague Electric Co Narrow emitter lateral transistor
US3579059A (en) * 1968-03-11 1971-05-18 Nat Semiconductor Corp Multiple collector lateral transistor device

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2629672A (en) * 1949-07-07 1953-02-24 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Method of making semiconductive translating devices
US2666814A (en) * 1949-04-27 1954-01-19 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Semiconductor translating device

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2666814A (en) * 1949-04-27 1954-01-19 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Semiconductor translating device
US2629672A (en) * 1949-07-07 1953-02-24 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Method of making semiconductive translating devices

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2929006A (en) * 1954-12-02 1960-03-15 Siemens Ag Junction transistor
US3063129A (en) * 1956-08-08 1962-11-13 Bendix Corp Transistor
US2959718A (en) * 1957-04-08 1960-11-08 Int Rectifier Corp Rectifier assembly
US3312879A (en) * 1964-07-29 1967-04-04 North American Aviation Inc Semiconductor structure including opposite conductivity segments
US3443173A (en) * 1966-05-17 1969-05-06 Sprague Electric Co Narrow emitter lateral transistor
US3579059A (en) * 1968-03-11 1971-05-18 Nat Semiconductor Corp Multiple collector lateral transistor device

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GB783520A (en) 1957-09-25
DE1770266U (en) 1958-07-17
BE527382A (en)
NL85504C (en)
FR1099770A (en) 1955-09-09

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