US2959504A - Semiconductive current limiters - Google Patents

Semiconductive current limiters Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2959504A
US2959504A US737883A US73788358A US2959504A US 2959504 A US2959504 A US 2959504A US 737883 A US737883 A US 737883A US 73788358 A US73788358 A US 73788358A US 2959504 A US2959504 A US 2959504A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
zone
current
zones
wafer
diode
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US737883A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Ian Munro Ross
Friedolf Michael Smits
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AT&T Corp
Original Assignee
Western Electric Co Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to NL239104D priority Critical patent/NL239104A/xx
Application filed by Western Electric Co Inc filed Critical Western Electric Co Inc
Priority to US737883A priority patent/US2959504A/en
Priority to BE578696A priority patent/BE578696A/fr
Priority to DEW25639A priority patent/DE1090331B/de
Priority to JP1567759A priority patent/JPS374662B1/ja
Priority to GB17134/59A priority patent/GB923104A/en
Priority to FR795541A priority patent/FR1225369A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2959504A publication Critical patent/US2959504A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
    • H02H9/00—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection
    • H02H9/02—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection responsive to excess current
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
    • H01B1/00—Conductors or conductive bodies characterised by the conductive materials; Selection of materials as conductors
    • H01B1/04—Conductors or conductive bodies characterised by the conductive materials; Selection of materials as conductors mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
    • 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
    • H01L27/00—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate
    • H01L27/02—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having potential barriers; including integrated passive circuit elements having potential barriers
    • H01L27/04—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having potential barriers; including integrated passive circuit elements having potential barriers the substrate being a semiconductor body
    • H01L27/06—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having potential barriers; including integrated passive circuit elements having potential barriers the substrate being a semiconductor body including a plurality of individual components in a non-repetitive configuration
    • H01L27/0688—Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a 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
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a PN-junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/02—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/06—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by their shape; characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions ; characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities within semiconductor regions
    • H01L29/0684—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by their shape; characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions ; characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities within semiconductor regions characterised by the shape, relative sizes or dispositions of the semiconductor regions or junctions between the regions
    • H01L29/0688—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by their shape; characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions ; characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities within semiconductor regions characterised by the shape, relative sizes or dispositions of the semiconductor regions or junctions between the regions characterised by the particular shape of a junction between semiconductor regions
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a PN-junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/02—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/12—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by the materials of which they are formed
    • H01L29/16—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
    • H01L29/167—Semiconductor bodies ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table further characterised by the doping material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a PN-junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/66—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/68—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor controllable by only the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to an electrode which does not carry the current to be rectified, amplified or switched
    • H01L29/70—Bipolar devices
    • H01L29/74—Thyristor-type devices, e.g. having four-zone regenerative action
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a PN-junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/66—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/68—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor controllable by only the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to an electrode which does not carry the current to be rectified, amplified or switched
    • H01L29/70—Bipolar devices
    • H01L29/74—Thyristor-type devices, e.g. having four-zone regenerative action
    • H01L29/7404—Thyristor-type devices, e.g. having four-zone regenerative action structurally associated with at least one other device
    • H01L29/742—Thyristor-type devices, e.g. having four-zone regenerative action structurally associated with at least one other device the device being a field effect transistor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a PN-junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/66—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/86—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor controllable only by variation of the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to one or more of the electrodes carrying the current to be rectified, amplified, oscillated or switched
    • H01L29/861—Diodes
    • H01L29/87—Thyristor diodes, e.g. Shockley diodes, break-over diodes

Definitions

  • This invention relates to semiconductive devices and more particularly to such devices useful as current limiters.
  • a current limiter is a device which exhibits a relatively low impedance for currents in a limited range of currents, and beyond which range the device exhibits a relatively high impedance and so tends to limit the ow of current.
  • a feature of the present invention is a diode including a PNPN semiccnductive element in which the total current amplification factor, alpha, of the element has a value of unity or more in the current range in which the diode is to have a low impedance.
  • the diode is designed so that the value of alpha decreases with increasing current such that at the end of this current range it becomes less than unity, at which point the diode provides a high impedance.
  • Two-terminal PNPN semiconductive elements have previously been known to be useful as switches of the kind which initially exhibit a high impedance to applied voltages below a certain switching level but which, after such level has been exceeded, exhibit a low impedance so long as a relatively small sustaining current is permitted to llow.
  • This switching characteristic is achieved in such known devices by providing that the total alpha in the element increase with increasing current from a value below unity to a value in excess of unity. Typically, this is achieved by incorporating in the semiconductive element appropriate recombination centers which gradually till up as the current increases, thereby causing an increase in total alpha of the element.
  • the desired current limiting characteristic is achieved by providing that the total alpha in the semiconductive element, initially in excess of unity, decrease with increasing current over a prescribed current range beyond which it becomes less than unity to provide limiting action at this point.
  • This variation of total alpha with current is usually realized most advantageously by a structure for the semiconductive element which leads to emission concentration in the element.
  • it is feasible to achieve the desired variation of alpha with current by the introduction into the body of appropriate impurity centers.
  • the PNPN semiconductive element is characterized by at least one intermediate zone which includes both a portion whose thickness between contiguous zones of opposite conductivity type is significantly more than the diffusion length of minority carriers therein and a portion whose corresponding thickness is not significantly more than the diffusion length of minority carriers there- 1n.
  • the diode used to provide current limiting action also provide initially, until certain current and voltage levels are exceeded, a high impedance to current ow. If this characteristic is desired, it may be more readily achieved by employing silicon rather than germanium as the semiconductive material.
  • a silicon diode of this kind will exhibit a low impedance for an intermediate range of currents and a high impedance for currents either below or above this range. Because the diode can exhibit a high impedance for the same voltage at two widely separated current ranges, it is also adaptable for use as a storage element.
  • FIG. 1 through 5 shows in section a current limiter illustrative of an embodiment of the invention utilizing geometry effects
  • Fig. 6 shows a current limiter illustrative of an embodiment of the invention utilizing conductivity modulation and trapping effects
  • Figs. 7 and 8 show the voltage-current characteristics typical o-f embodiments of the invention.
  • Fig. 9 shows a conjugate system of two transistors and a diode which is substantially the circuit equivalent of the current limiter shown in Fig. l;
  • Figs. 10A through 10D are sectional views of the current limiter of Fig. l in successive stages of one typical fabrication process.
  • the diode 10 shown in Fig. l comprises a semiconductive element having in succession four zones 11, 12, 13 and 14, contiguous zones being of the opposite conductivity type, and low resistance electrode connections 15, 16 to the two terminal zones 11, 14. 1t will be convenient throughout to refer to the dimension of a zone parallel to that of the principal current flow between the two electrodes as the thickness of the zone and the dimension transverse to such direction of ilow as the width or lateral dimension of the zone.
  • each of zones 11, 12 and 13 has a nonuniform thickness.
  • the intermediate p-type zone 12 has a centrally located circular portion 12A whose thickness is at least several diffusion lengths of electrons, the minority carriers therein, and a surrounding annular portion 12B whose thickness is less than a diffusion length of the electrons therein.
  • the ratio of the thicknesses of the two portions should be at least three and preferably at least live.
  • the lateral resistance of the thinner portion 12B is significant, as will be discussed in more detail below.
  • the n-type zone 13 includes a thinner centrally located circular portion and a thicker surrounding annular portion. The terminal zone 11 extends completely across one major surface, while the terminal zone 14 extends only across a centrally located circular portion of thev opposite major surface.
  • the terminal zone 14 extends opposite the thicker central portion 12A of zone 12.
  • the diameter of the terminal zone 1a, as well as the diameter of the portion 12A of zone 12 are parameters which permit control of the range over which current limiting action is achieved and accordingly are adjusted to adapt the element to the desired operating range.
  • the resistivities of the intermediate zones 12 and 13 are parameters which control the breakdown characteristcs and vso these are chosen appropriately.
  • the diode is interconnected into its work circuit in a manner that the polarities shown are established on electrodes and 16.
  • This structure is the electrical equivalent of the conjugate system 100 of two junction transistors and one junction diode shown in Fig. 9.
  • this conjugate system includes the NPN junction transistor 101, the -PNP junction transistor 102 and the NP diode 103, appropriately interconnected between electrodes 104, 105 to which is applied a bias of the polarity shown for achieving current limiting action.
  • the combination of transistor 101, diode 103 and the resistor R can be considered a transistor whose alpha will Vary with the amount of shunting of its emitter current through the diode 103. In particular, as the current flowing through the entire system increases, the current owing through the resistor R also increases.
  • the various elements would be chosen so that in the range of current in which the impedance is to be low, the total alpha of the system remains at least equal to unity. So long as the total alpha is at least unity, the total impedance of the system viewed between electrodes 104 and 105 is low.
  • the impedance of the conjugate system can be made to be high until such starting current is reached.
  • silicon transistors typically exhibit low alphas at low currents, their use makes it possible to achieve such a high impedance characteristic at low currents.
  • the impedance is low for currents in an intermediate range and high for currents on either side of the range.
  • Fig. 8 there is plotted the voltage-current characteristic of such a system.
  • n-type zone 11 The portions of the four zone diode represented by n-type zone 11, the thin portion 12B of p-type zone 12, and the n-type zone 13 correspond to the NPN transistor 101. Because the thickness of the thick central portion 12A of the p-type zone 12 is significantly more than a diffusion length, effectively no transistor action occurs therethrough and the n-type zone 11 is therealong effectively isolated for transistor action from the n-type zone 13. Accordingly, the n-type zone 11 forms effectively only an NP diode with the thick portion of zone 12, analogous to the NP diode 103 of the conjugate system.
  • the high sheet resistance of the thin portion 12B of the p-type zone 12 serves the role of the resistor R connected between the base zone of the 4 transistor 101 and the diode 103.
  • the thick portion 12A of the p-type zone 12, the n-type zone 13 and the p-type zone 14 form a PNP transistor which corresponds to the transistor 102.
  • the sheet resistance of the thin portion 12B of the zone 12 be sufficiently high that the voltage drop resulting from the lateral current flow be enough for emission concentration.
  • the element needs to be designed so that in the current range for which the diode is to serve as a low impedance, the total alpha exceeds unity.
  • Electron bombardment may be used to reduce the alpha to achieve a crossover point for the total alpha at a desired current value.
  • An element of this kind can be made to have the characteristic shown in either of Figs. 7 and 8 by appropriate choice of material.
  • FIG. 10A through 10D show the element in cross section in different stages of fabrication.
  • a monocrystalline p-type silicon wafer of 0.3 ohm-centimeter resistivity was subjected to a phosphorus-rich atmosphere at l250 C. for about one hour to form a phosphorusdiffused n-type shallow layer over the surface of the wafer.
  • This phosphorus-diffused layer was thereafter removed completely both from all the surfaces of the Wafer except one and from a centrally located circular portion of this face to leave only an annular diffused portion 202 on the wafer, as shown in Fig. 10A.
  • the wafer was then heated for about 50 hours at about 1300 C. in air to increase the depth of penetration of phosphorus-diffused layer 202 as shown in Fig. 10B.
  • the wafer was then subjected to heating first in a phosphorus atmosphere for about 40 minutes at 900 C. and then in air for about two hours at 1300 C. to form a phosphorus-diffused layer 203 over the entire surface of the wafer as shown in Fig. 10C.
  • the phosphorus-diffused layer was removed from the edges of the wafer and the surface of the Wafer was thereafter completely masked except for a centrally located circular portion of the major face opposite that on which layer 202 had previously been formed.
  • An element fabricated by the process outlined was formed from a wafer which was substantially mils square and 5.5 mils thick.
  • the intermediate p-type zone 12 had a centrally located circular portion 12A about 4 inils thick and 16 mils in diameter.
  • the annular outer portion 12B was .55 mil thick.
  • the specific resistivity of the p-type starting material, which was the resistivity of this zone 12, was about 0.3 ohm-centimeter.
  • 'Ihe ntype intermediate zone 13 had a circular portion of l0 mils diameter and 0.25 mil thickness and an annular surrounding portion of 0.45 mil thickness.
  • the surface of this n-type zone exposed at the major face had a sheet resistivity of 20 ohms and a surface concentration of 4 1018 phosphorus atoms per cubic centimeter.
  • the terminal p-type zone 14 was of l0 mils diameter, and had a depth of about 0.2 mil, a sheet resistivity of 5.5 ohms and a surface concentration of 6 1019 boron atoms per cubic centimeter.
  • the terminal n-type zone 11 had a centrally located circular portion of 25 mils diameter and 0.45 mil thick, recessed about 0.6 mil with respect to the remainder of this surface.
  • the surrounding annular portion of the n-type terminal zone had a thickness of 4.5 mils, a sheet resistivity of .16 ohms and a surface concentration of 6 1019 phosphorus atoms per cubic centimeter.
  • the diode incorporating this element exhibited an irnpedance in the megohms range until the initial breakdown voltage of approximately 4-4 volts was exceeded, after which its impedance switched to a value of a few ohms, which it maintained so long as a minimum current of about 4 milliamperes was permitted to flow. Current limiting action was achieved at approximately 9 .milliamperes beyond which its impedance increased sharply. The second breakdown occurred at a voltage slightly above the first breakdown. The voltage-current characteristic for this element is shown in Fig. 8.
  • the characteristic depicted has for a range of voltages two stable high impedance states, one corresponding to a low current and the other to a high current. It will be obvious to a worker in the art that such a characteristic adapts the element for use as a binary storage element.
  • terminal zones 21 and 24 are of uniform thickness while the intermediate zones 22 and 23 have a thickness which is nonuniform.
  • zone 22 has a central portion at least several diffusion lengths thick and a surrounding portion less than a diffusion length thick, the lateral resistance of said outer portion being sufficiently high to provide effective emission concentration.
  • Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment 30 in which the effect of emission concentration is to favor the outer portion of the wafer.
  • the Wafer comprises the annular terminal zone 31, an intermediate zone 32 of nonuniform thickness, an intermediate zone 33 of nonuniform thickness and a terminal zone 34.
  • An annular electrode 3S makes a low resistance connection to the terminal zone 31 and the electrode 36 makes a low resistance connection to the terminal zone 34.
  • the intermediate zone 33 in which emission concentration occurs includes an inner circular portion whose thickness is less than a diffusion length of minority carriers therein, and an annular surrounding portion whose thickness is at least several diffusion lengths.
  • the terminal zones 41 and 44 are of uniform thickness while each of the intermediate zones 42 and 43 are tapered in thickness. In this instance too, it is important to displace the terminal zone 44 from a central location toward the thicker end of the intermediate p-type zone 42, the region of emission concentration.
  • the element comprises a succession of four zones 51, 52, 53 and 54 which together with electrodes 55 and 56 form an NPNP diode, basically similar to those discussed in connection with Figs. l, 2 and 3.
  • the terminal zone 51 includes an intermediate region 51A of reduced thickness and significant lateral resistance.
  • the intermediate zone 52 is made to have a region many diffusions length thick opposite the region of zone 51 to which the electrode 55 connects and a region less than a diffusion length thick. It can be seen that the device formed by the four zones S1, 52, S3 and 54 and electrodes 55 and 56 is substantially the equivalent of the conjugate system shown in Fig. 9 after modiiication to insert the resistor R between the emitter of junction transistor 101 and the n-type zone of the diode 102 and to short together the base of junction transistor 101 and the p-type zone of the diode 102.
  • the element includes a fifth zone 57, to which is connected electrode S8 and which is positioned contiguous to the region 51A of restricted thickness of zone 51.
  • electrode S8 By biasing electrode 58 negative with respect to electrode 55, the rectifying junction between zones 51 and 57 is biased in reverse, creating a space charge layer which penetrates into region 51A.
  • Variation of the voltage applied to electrode 58 permits variation of the depth of penetration of this space charge layer into region 51A and a consequent change of its conductivity. This is analogous to variation of the value of the resistor R in the conjugate system shown in Fig. 9 modified as discussed.
  • the potential maintained on electrode 58 is a parameter for control of the current beyond which limiting occurs.
  • a decrease of alpha with increasing current in a transistor can also be obtained Without utilizing emission concentration.
  • the emitter efficiency of a transistor can decrease provided the base region becomes conductivity-modulated.
  • Conductivity modulation results when there is a significant increase in the majority carrier density in the base region because of the need to neutralize a high density of injected minority carriers.
  • the increased density of majority carriers in the base region tends to an increased injection of such carriers from the base region into the emitter region, which, in turn, results in a decrease in alpha.
  • a decrease in the transport factor can be utilized in a transistor to decrease alpha with current.
  • Such a decrease in lifetime with increasing injection level can be achieved by the introduction of appropriate recombination centers into the base region, the transport factor of which is to decrease with current.
  • the condition for the effect desired is that the Fermi level under equilibrium in the material of this zone be closer to the center of the gap than is the trap level. Since most recombination levels are deep levels, this condition also tends to require high resistivity base regions.
  • selected impurities have to be introduced into either one or both of the intermediate regions.
  • a typical impurity which can be used in silicon in this way is indium.
  • Indium in silicon has a trapping level which lies closer to the valence band than to the conduction band. Since indium is an acceptor, it is necessary that the indium-rich region be overcompensated by a donor to obtain n-type conductivity.
  • Indium in silicon is known to have a significant capture rate for both the capture of electrons from the conduction band and the capture of holes from the valence band. It has a trapping level which is fairly close to the valence band, and therefore not too close to the center of the gap. In n-type silicon of a resistivity range in which the Fermi level is closer to the center of the gap is this trapping level, a substantial decrease of lifetime with increasing injection level becomes feasible.
  • Fig. 6 shows a PNPN diode in accordance with this aspect of the invention.
  • the diode comprises the four zones 61, 6-2, 63 and 64 of which the n-type intermediate zone 62 includes both indium and a donor such as phosphorus.
  • the indium concentration is 3.0)( l016 atoms per cubic centimeter and the phosphorus concentration is 3.l l016 atoms per cubic centimeter.
  • a thickness of l()-3 centimeters for this zone is suitable and the decrease in transport factor with increasing injection level will occur for current densities between one and ten amperes per square centimeter.
  • a semiconductive device comprising a semiconductive wafer including a succession of at least four zones, contiguous zones of the succession being of opposite con- ⁇ ductivity type, and ele'ctrode connections to the two end zones of the succession, characterized in that one of the intermediate zones of the succession has a first region which has a thickness at least several diffusion lengths of minority carriers therein and a second region which has a thickness of less than a diffusion length of minority carriers therein, and the end zone spaced from said one intermediate zone extends primarily opposite the first region of said one intermediate zone.
  • a semiconductive device in accordance with claim l further characterized in that the semiconductive wafer consists of a succession of only four zones and electrode connections are made only to the two end zones of the succession, the two intermediate zones being free of electrode connections.
  • a semiconductive device in accordance with claim l further characterized in that the semiconductive wafer includes a fifth zone contiguous with and of opposite conductivity type to an end zone of the succession of four zones and a third electrode is connected to said fifth zone, the second and third zones of the succession being free of electrode connections.
  • a semiconductive device comprising a substantially monocrystalline PNPN silicon Wafer and electrode connections to the terminal zones of the wafer, characterized in that at least one of the two intermediate zones of the wafer is of nonuniform thickness, havingv a thickness in one region significantly more than the diffusion length of minority carriers therein, and a thickness in another region not significantly more than said diffusion length, whereby the ratio of thicknesses of the two regions is at least three to one, and the terminal zone spaced from said one intermediate zone extends primarily opposite said one intermediate zone.
  • a semiconductive device comprising a PNPN semiconductive wafer of which at least one of the two intermediate zones is of resistivity sufficiently high for the conductivity modulation of said zone and at least one of the two intermediate zones includes a concentration of recombination centers for decreasing the transport factor of such zone with increasing current, such that the wafer has a total alpha in excess of unity for a range of currents flowing therethrough and such total alpha decreases with increasing current so that a value of current is reached beyond which the total alpha is less than unity whereby the wafer exhibits a low impedance in the first-mentioned range of currents and a high impedance beyond this range.
  • a semiconductive device comprising a substantially monocrystalline PNPN silicon wafer characterized in that the intermediate n-type zone includes indium over-compensated by a donor impurity and the wafer has a total alpha in excess of unity for a range of currents flowing therethrough and such total alpha decreases with increasing current so that a value of current is reached beyond which the total alpha is less than unity whereby the wafer exhibits a low impedance in the first-mentioned range of currents and a high impedance beyond this range.
  • a semiconductive device comprising a semiconduc tive wafer having a succession of four zones, contiguous zones being of opposite conductivity type and electrode connections to the two terminal zones, the Wafer being characterized in that one intermediate zone has a first region whose thickness is at least several times the diffusion length of minority carriers therein and a second region whose thickness is less than the diffusion length of minority carriers therein, the sheet resistivity of such second region being sufficiently high to cause emission concentration in favor of said first region, and the terminal zone spaced from said intermediate zone extending primarilyY opposite said first region.
  • a semiconductive device further characterized in that the semiconductive wafer is substantially monocrystalline silicon and the ratio of the thickness of said first region to the thickness of said second region is at least three to one.
  • a semiconductive diode comprising a PNPN semiconductive wafer and electrode connections to the two terminal zones of the wafer, characterized in that the first terminal zone extends laterally completely across the wafer and has a central region of reduced thickness and a surrounding region of increased thickness, the second zone extends laterally completely across the wafer and has a centrally located region whose thickness is at least several diffusion lengths of minority carriers therein and a surrounding portion whose thickness is less than a diffusion length in minority carriers, the third zone extends laterally completely across the wafer and has a centrally located region of reduced thickness and the surrounding portion of increased thickness, and the fourth zone is centrally located and extends laterally across only a limited portion of the wafer.
  • a semiconductive diode comprising a PNPN semiconductive wafer and electrode connections to the two terminal zones characterized in that the first Zone is annular and extends laterally across only a limited portion of the wafer, the second zone extends laterally completely across the wafer and includes a thicker centrally located portion and a thinner surrounding portion, the third zone extends laterally completely across the wafer andincludes a central portion of thickness less than the diffusion length of minority carriers therein and a surrounding portion of thickness at least several diffusion lengths of minority carriers therein, and the fourth zone extends laterally completely across the wafer.
  • a semiconductive diode comprising a monocrystalline PNPN silicon wafer and electrode connections to the two terminal zones, the Wafer being characterized in that it includes an intermediate zone which extends laterally completely across the wafer and has a first extended region whose thickness is at least several times the diffusion length of minority carriers therein and a second 10 region with increasing currents through the diode and the 15 2,770,761
  • terminal zone spaced from said intermediate zone extends laterally across only a limited portion of the wafer and is located substantially opposite the second extended region of the intermediate zone, whereby the diode exhibits a total alpha which is greater than unity for an intermediate range of current and less than unity for currents outside said intermediate range.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Bipolar Integrated Circuits (AREA)
  • Bipolar Transistors (AREA)
US737883A 1958-05-26 1958-05-26 Semiconductive current limiters Expired - Lifetime US2959504A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL239104D NL239104A (ja) 1958-05-26
US737883A US2959504A (en) 1958-05-26 1958-05-26 Semiconductive current limiters
BE578696A BE578696A (fr) 1958-05-26 1959-05-14 Limiteur de courant à semi-conducteur.
DEW25639A DE1090331B (de) 1958-05-26 1959-05-16 Strombegrenzende Halbleiteranordnung, insbesondere Diode, mit einem Halbleiterkoerper mit einer Folge von wenigstens vier Zonen abwechselnd entgegengesetzten Leitfaehigkeitstyps
JP1567759A JPS374662B1 (ja) 1958-05-26 1959-05-19
GB17134/59A GB923104A (en) 1958-05-26 1959-05-20 Improvements in or relating to semiconductive devices
FR795541A FR1225369A (fr) 1958-05-26 1959-05-25 Limiteurs de courant semi-conducteurs

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US737883A US2959504A (en) 1958-05-26 1958-05-26 Semiconductive current limiters

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2959504A true US2959504A (en) 1960-11-08

Family

ID=24965687

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US737883A Expired - Lifetime US2959504A (en) 1958-05-26 1958-05-26 Semiconductive current limiters

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US2959504A (ja)
JP (1) JPS374662B1 (ja)
BE (1) BE578696A (ja)
DE (1) DE1090331B (ja)
FR (1) FR1225369A (ja)
GB (1) GB923104A (ja)
NL (1) NL239104A (ja)

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3121035A (en) * 1959-07-07 1964-02-11 Philips Corp High temperature electric insulator
US3124703A (en) * 1960-06-13 1964-03-10 Figure
US3146135A (en) * 1959-05-11 1964-08-25 Clevite Corp Four layer semiconductive device
US3195077A (en) * 1960-09-06 1965-07-13 Westinghouse Electric Corp Semiconductor multisection r-c filter of tapered monolithic construction having progressively varied values of impedance per section
US3200017A (en) * 1960-09-26 1965-08-10 Gen Electric Gallium arsenide semiconductor devices
US3220380A (en) * 1961-08-21 1965-11-30 Merck & Co Inc Deposition chamber including heater element enveloped by a quartz workholder
US3237062A (en) * 1961-10-20 1966-02-22 Westinghouse Electric Corp Monolithic semiconductor devices
US3239728A (en) * 1962-07-17 1966-03-08 Gen Electric Semiconductor switch
US3241012A (en) * 1959-06-23 1966-03-15 Ibm Semiconductor signal-translating device
US3243322A (en) * 1962-11-14 1966-03-29 Hitachi Ltd Temperature compensated zener diode
US3265909A (en) * 1963-09-03 1966-08-09 Gen Electric Semiconductor switch comprising a controlled rectifier supplying base drive to a transistor
US3277352A (en) * 1963-03-14 1966-10-04 Itt Four layer semiconductor device
US3284680A (en) * 1963-11-26 1966-11-08 Gen Electric Semiconductor switch
US3300694A (en) * 1962-12-20 1967-01-24 Westinghouse Electric Corp Semiconductor controlled rectifier with firing pin portion on emitter
US3349299A (en) * 1962-09-15 1967-10-24 Siemens Ag Power recitfier of the npnp type having recombination centers therein
US3458781A (en) * 1966-07-18 1969-07-29 Unitrode Corp High-voltage planar semiconductor devices
US4364021A (en) * 1977-10-07 1982-12-14 General Electric Company Low voltage varistor configuration
US5696390A (en) * 1995-07-28 1997-12-09 Ferraz Current limiter component
WO2015177085A1 (de) * 2014-05-19 2015-11-26 Epcos Ag Elektronisches bauelement und verfahren zu dessen herstellung

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3996601A (en) * 1974-07-15 1976-12-07 Hutson Jerald L Shorting structure for multilayer semiconductor switching devices
SE409789B (sv) * 1978-01-10 1979-09-03 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Overstromsskyddad transistor
DE102005023479B4 (de) * 2005-05-20 2011-06-09 Infineon Technologies Ag Thyristor mit Zündstufenstruktur

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2569347A (en) * 1948-06-26 1951-09-25 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Circuit element utilizing semiconductive material
US2623102A (en) * 1948-06-26 1952-12-23 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Circuit element utilizing semiconductive materials
US2754431A (en) * 1953-03-09 1956-07-10 Rca Corp Semiconductor devices
US2770761A (en) * 1954-12-16 1956-11-13 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Semiconductor translators containing enclosed active junctions

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2813048A (en) * 1954-06-24 1957-11-12 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Temperature gradient zone-melting

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2569347A (en) * 1948-06-26 1951-09-25 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Circuit element utilizing semiconductive material
US2623102A (en) * 1948-06-26 1952-12-23 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Circuit element utilizing semiconductive materials
US2754431A (en) * 1953-03-09 1956-07-10 Rca Corp Semiconductor devices
US2770761A (en) * 1954-12-16 1956-11-13 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Semiconductor translators containing enclosed active junctions

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3146135A (en) * 1959-05-11 1964-08-25 Clevite Corp Four layer semiconductive device
US3241012A (en) * 1959-06-23 1966-03-15 Ibm Semiconductor signal-translating device
US3121035A (en) * 1959-07-07 1964-02-11 Philips Corp High temperature electric insulator
US3124703A (en) * 1960-06-13 1964-03-10 Figure
US3195077A (en) * 1960-09-06 1965-07-13 Westinghouse Electric Corp Semiconductor multisection r-c filter of tapered monolithic construction having progressively varied values of impedance per section
US3200017A (en) * 1960-09-26 1965-08-10 Gen Electric Gallium arsenide semiconductor devices
US3220380A (en) * 1961-08-21 1965-11-30 Merck & Co Inc Deposition chamber including heater element enveloped by a quartz workholder
US3237062A (en) * 1961-10-20 1966-02-22 Westinghouse Electric Corp Monolithic semiconductor devices
US3239728A (en) * 1962-07-17 1966-03-08 Gen Electric Semiconductor switch
US3349299A (en) * 1962-09-15 1967-10-24 Siemens Ag Power recitfier of the npnp type having recombination centers therein
US3243322A (en) * 1962-11-14 1966-03-29 Hitachi Ltd Temperature compensated zener diode
US3300694A (en) * 1962-12-20 1967-01-24 Westinghouse Electric Corp Semiconductor controlled rectifier with firing pin portion on emitter
US3277352A (en) * 1963-03-14 1966-10-04 Itt Four layer semiconductor device
US3265909A (en) * 1963-09-03 1966-08-09 Gen Electric Semiconductor switch comprising a controlled rectifier supplying base drive to a transistor
US3284680A (en) * 1963-11-26 1966-11-08 Gen Electric Semiconductor switch
US3458781A (en) * 1966-07-18 1969-07-29 Unitrode Corp High-voltage planar semiconductor devices
US4364021A (en) * 1977-10-07 1982-12-14 General Electric Company Low voltage varistor configuration
US5696390A (en) * 1995-07-28 1997-12-09 Ferraz Current limiter component
WO2015177085A1 (de) * 2014-05-19 2015-11-26 Epcos Ag Elektronisches bauelement und verfahren zu dessen herstellung
US10204722B2 (en) 2014-05-19 2019-02-12 Epcos Ag Electronic component and method for the production thereof

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1090331B (de) 1960-10-06
GB923104A (en) 1963-04-10
FR1225369A (fr) 1960-06-30
NL239104A (ja) 1900-01-01
BE578696A (fr) 1959-08-31
JPS374662B1 (ja) 1962-05-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2959504A (en) Semiconductive current limiters
US3476993A (en) Five layer and junction bridging terminal switching device
US3727116A (en) Integral thyristor-rectifier device
US4259683A (en) High switching speed P-N junction devices with recombination means centrally located in high resistivity layer
US3210620A (en) Semiconductor device providing diode functions
US3239728A (en) Semiconductor switch
US3196329A (en) Symmetrical switching diode
US3699406A (en) Semiconductor gate-controlled pnpn switch
US3575646A (en) Integrated circuit structures including controlled rectifiers
US3121808A (en) Low temperature negative resistance device
US3231796A (en) Pnpn semiconductor switch with predetermined forward breakover and reverse breakdownvoltages
US3324359A (en) Four layer semiconductor switch with the third layer defining a continuous, uninterrupted internal junction
US3300694A (en) Semiconductor controlled rectifier with firing pin portion on emitter
US3265909A (en) Semiconductor switch comprising a controlled rectifier supplying base drive to a transistor
US3210563A (en) Four-layer semiconductor switch with particular configuration exhibiting relatively high turn-off gain
US3671821A (en) Semiconductor controlled rectifier including two emitter regions
US3225272A (en) Semiconductor triode
US3427515A (en) High voltage semiconductor transistor
US3434023A (en) Semiconductor switching devices with a tunnel junction diode in series with the gate electrode
US3312880A (en) Four-layer semiconductor switching device having turn-on and turn-off gain
US2915647A (en) Semiconductive switch and negative resistance
US3303360A (en) Semiconductor switch
US2862115A (en) Semiconductor circuit controlling devices
US3065392A (en) Semiconductor devices
GB1564729A (en) Silicon controlled rectifier