Patent · US Expired

Closed cell transistor with built-in voltage clamp

US5136349A · kind A · utility

54Cited by
9References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 12, 1990
Grant dateAug 4, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 12, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D64/519

Abstract

A power transistor takes advantage of the lower breakdown voltage capability of a spherical junction. A clamping region having a spherical shape is provided in the gater region of an enclosed transistor cell. The clamping region has a lower breakdown voltage than do the active portions of the transistor cell. Both a DMOSFET and an IGBT transistor may be provided with the clamping region. The clamping region is a zener diode in the case of the DMOSFET, and is a bipolar junction transistor in the case of the insulated gate bipolar transistor. The clamping region is preferably an island in the center of each cell of a closed cell structure.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.