Semiconductor device with surge current protection
First Claim
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1. A power device, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of switchable cells defining an active area of the power device, each of the switchable cells comprising an emitter region, and a collector region;
an emitter metallization in ohmic contact with the emitter region of the switchable cells; and
a collector metallization in ohmic contact with the collector region of the switchable cells; and
an edge termination,wherein the active area comprises first switchable regions and second switchable regions different to the first switchable region, each of the first and second switchable regions comprising at least a portion of one or more of the switchable cells;
wherein the first switchable regions have a first threshold in the range of 5 V to 10 V defining a device threshold at which the power device becomes conductive for continuously conducting a rated current of the power device between the emitter metallization and the collector metallization; and
wherein the second switchable regions have a second threshold in the range of 15 V to 25 V defining a surge threshold of the power device at which the power device becomes operable to conduct a surge current between the emitter metallization and the collector metallization, wherein the surge current of the power device is at least five times as large as the rated current of the power device,wherein, when seen in a plane projection onto a main surface of the semiconductor substrate, an area ratio of an area covered by second switchable regions to an area covered by the first switchable regions is higher in an outer region of the active area near the edge termination than in an inner region of the active area, which is arranged spaced from the edge termination.
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Abstract
A power device includes an active area having at least two switchable regions with different threshold voltages.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A power device, comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of switchable cells defining an active area of the power device, each of the switchable cells comprising an emitter region, and a collector region; an emitter metallization in ohmic contact with the emitter region of the switchable cells; and a collector metallization in ohmic contact with the collector region of the switchable cells; and an edge termination, wherein the active area comprises first switchable regions and second switchable regions different to the first switchable region, each of the first and second switchable regions comprising at least a portion of one or more of the switchable cells; wherein the first switchable regions have a first threshold in the range of 5 V to 10 V defining a device threshold at which the power device becomes conductive for continuously conducting a rated current of the power device between the emitter metallization and the collector metallization; and wherein the second switchable regions have a second threshold in the range of 15 V to 25 V defining a surge threshold of the power device at which the power device becomes operable to conduct a surge current between the emitter metallization and the collector metallization, wherein the surge current of the power device is at least five times as large as the rated current of the power device, wherein, when seen in a plane projection onto a main surface of the semiconductor substrate, an area ratio of an area covered by second switchable regions to an area covered by the first switchable regions is higher in an outer region of the active area near the edge termination than in an inner region of the active area, which is arranged spaced from the edge termination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A power device, comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of switchable cells defining an active area of the power device, each of the switchable cells comprising an emitter region, and a collector region; an emitter metallization in ohmic contact with the emitter region of the switchable cells; a collector metallization in ohmic contact with the collector region of the switchable cells; and a gate bus structure in ohmic contact with a gate electrode structure of the switchable cells; wherein the active area comprises first switchable regions and second switchable regions different to the first switchable region, each of the first and second switchable regions comprising at least a portion of one or more of the switchable cells; wherein the first switchable regions have a first threshold in the range of 5 V to 10 V defining a device threshold at which the power device becomes conductive for continuously conducting a rated current of the power device between the emitter metallization and the collector metallization; wherein the second switchable regions have a second threshold in the range of 15 V to 25 V defining a surge threshold of the power device at which the power device becomes operable to conduct a surge current between the emitter metallization and the collector metallization, wherein the surge current of the power device is at least five times as large as the rated current of the power device; and wherein an area ratio of an area covered by the second switchable regions to an area covered by the first switchable regions is higher in a region near the gate bus structure than in a central region of the active area.
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14. A power device, comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of switchable cells defining an active area of the power device, each of the switchable cells comprising an emitter region, and a collector region; an emitter metallization in ohmic contact with the emitter region of the switchable cells; and a collector metallization in ohmic contact with the collector region of the switchable cells; wherein the active area comprises first switchable regions and second switchable regions different to the first switchable region, each of the first and second switchable regions comprising at least a portion of one or more of the switchable cells; wherein the first switchable regions have a first threshold in the range of 5 V to 10 V defining a device threshold at which the power device becomes conductive for continuously conducting a rated current of the power device between the emitter metallization and the collector metallization; wherein the second switchable regions have a second threshold in the range of 15 V to 25 V defining a surge threshold of the power device at which the power device becomes operable to conduct a surge current between the emitter metallization and the collector metallization, wherein the surge current of the power device is at least five times as large as the rated current of the power device, and wherein each body region comprises a body contact region having a higher doping concentration than the body region, wherein portions of the body contact regions of the switchable cells arranged in the first switchable regions have a doping concentration which is different to a doping concentration of portions of the body contact regions of the switchable cells arranged in the second switchable regions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification