Field-effect power transistor

US6924532B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Frank Pfirsch · Birkenfeld, DE
• Markus Zundel · Egmating, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 8, 2003
• Grant date: Aug 2, 2005
• Expiry date: Oct 30, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D89/611

Abstract

The present invention provides a field-effect power transistor having a first semiconductor region (10) with first channels (20) having a large ratio of a channel width (w) to a channel length (l) for conducting through an electric current from a source terminal (17) to a drain terminal (11) in a manner dependent on a signal at a gate contact (10′) of the first semiconductor region (10); at least one second semiconductor region (12) with second channels (22) having a small ratio of the channel width (w) to the channel length (l) for conducting through an electric current from the source terminal (17) to the drain terminal (11) in a manner dependent on a signal at the gate contact (12′) of the second semiconductor region (12); and a drive terminal (16) for providing a drive signal at the gate contacts (10′; 12′), a first predetermined resistor (14) in each case being provided between the gate contact (12′) of the at least second semiconductor region (12) and the drive terminal (16); and an overvoltage protection device (13) being provided at least between the gate contact (12′) of the second semiconductor region (12) and the drain terminal (11), for the purpose of switching on the s…