Turn-off power semiconductor component, and also process for producing it

US5286981A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Asea Brown Boveri, S.A. · CH

Inventors

• Klas Olof Lilja · Pleasanton, US
• Kenneth Johansson · Västerås, SE
• Thomas Stockmeier · Baden, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 26, 1992
• Grant date: Feb 15, 1994
• Expiry date: Jun 26, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D18/655

Abstract

A turn-off power semiconductor component subdivided into unit cells (EZ), including between an anode (A) and a cathode (K) in a semiconductor substrate (1) five layers in p-n-p-n-p sequence, namely an anode layer (10) an n-type base layer (9), a p-type base layer (8), a turn-off region (6), a cathode region (7) adjoining the turn-off region, and a p-doped short-circuit region (5). On the cathode side in every unit cell (EZ), a first MOSFET (M1) which can be driven via a first insulated gate electrode (G1) is provided for the purpose of switching between the five-layer structure and a conventional thyristor four-layer structure. A second MOSFET (M2) having a second gate electrode (G2) prevents a breakdown between the p-type short-circuit region (5) and the turn-off region (6) during turn-off. p-Type short-circuit region (5), turn-off region (6) and cathode region (7) are introduced in a self-aligning manner into the semiconductor substrate (1) through the windows (F1, F2) between the gate electrodes (G 1 and G2, respectively). Current filamentation during turn-off is effectively avoided by the switchable five-layer structure. The self-aligning production makes possible a component h…