HIGH-VOLTAGE SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING ELEMENT
First Claim
1. A high-voltage semiconductor switching element comprising:
- a base region of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor substrate of a second conductivity type;
at least one emitter region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region;
at least one sense region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region so as to be spaced away from the emitter region;
a collector region of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be spaced away from the base region;
a gate insulating film formed at least on a part of the base region located closer to the collector region with respect to the emitter region;
a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film;
a collector electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the collector region;
an emitter electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with both the base region and the emitter region; and
a sense electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the sense region,wherein the emitter region and the sense region are located so as to be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction going from the collector region toward the base region; and
the width of the sense region, the width of the emitter region, the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the sense region, and the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the emitter region in the second direction are set in such a manner that a sense ratio, which is a ratio of a collector current to a sense current, varies in a desired manner in accordance with variation in the collector current.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a base region of a first conductivity type, at least one emitter region of a second conductivity type and at least one sense region of the second conductivity type, spaced away from the emitter region, are selectively formed. The emitter region and the sense region are located so as to be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction going from a collector region of the first conductivity type, which is formed so as to be spaced away from the base region, toward the base region. The width of the sense region, the width of the emitter region, the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the sense region, and the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the emitter region in the second direction are set in such a manner that a sense ratio varies in a desired manner in accordance with variation in collector current.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A high-voltage semiconductor switching element comprising:
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a base region of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor substrate of a second conductivity type; at least one emitter region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region; at least one sense region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region so as to be spaced away from the emitter region; a collector region of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be spaced away from the base region; a gate insulating film formed at least on a part of the base region located closer to the collector region with respect to the emitter region; a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film; a collector electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the collector region; an emitter electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with both the base region and the emitter region; and a sense electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the sense region, wherein the emitter region and the sense region are located so as to be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction going from the collector region toward the base region; and the width of the sense region, the width of the emitter region, the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the sense region, and the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the emitter region in the second direction are set in such a manner that a sense ratio, which is a ratio of a collector current to a sense current, varies in a desired manner in accordance with variation in the collector current. - View Dependent Claims (6, 8, 10, 12, 21, 25, 29, 33)
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2. A high-voltage semiconductor switching element comprising:
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a base region of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor substrate of a second conductivity type; at least one emitter region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region; at least one sense region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region so as to be spaced away from the emitter region; a collector region of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be spaced away from the base region; a drain region of the second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be spaced away from the base region; a gate insulating film formed at least on a part of the base region located closer to the collector region with respect to the emitter region; a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film; a collector electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with both the collector region and the drain region; an emitter electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with both the base region and the emitter region; and a sense electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the sense region, wherein the emitter region and the sense region are located so as to be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction going from the collector region toward the base region; and the width of the sense region, the width of the emitter region, the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the sense region, and the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the emitter region in the second direction are set in such a manner that a ratio of a collector current to a sense current varies in a desired manner in accordance with variation in the collector current. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 22, 26, 30, 34)
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14. A high-voltage semiconductor switching element comprising:
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a base region of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor substrate of a second conductivity type; at least one emitter region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region; at least one sense region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region so as to be spaced away from the emitter region; a collector region of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be spaced away from the base region; a gate insulating film formed at least on a part of the base region located closer to the collector region with respect to the emitter region; a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film; a collector electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the collector region; an emitter electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with both the base region and the emitter region; and a sense electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the sense region, wherein the emitter region and the sense region are located so as to be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction going from the collector region toward the base region; and the resistance of a part of the emitter region that is located between the emitter electrode and the gate electrode is equal to the resistance of a part of the sense region that is located between the sense electrode and the gate electrode. - View Dependent Claims (19, 23, 27, 31, 35)
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15. A high-voltage semiconductor switching element comprising:
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a base region of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor substrate of a second conductivity type; at least one emitter region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region; at least one sense region of the second conductivity type selectively formed in the base region so as to be spaced away from the emitter region; a collector region of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be spaced away from the base region; a drain region of the second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be spaced away from the base region; a gate insulating film formed at least on a part of the base region located closer to the collector region with respect to the emitter region; a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film; a collector electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with both the collector region and the drain region; an emitter electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with both the base region and the emitter region; and a sense electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected with the sense region, wherein the emitter region and the sense region are located so as to be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction going from the collector region toward the base region; and the resistance of a part of the emitter region that is located between the emitter electrode and the gate electrode is equal to the resistance of a part of the sense region that is located between the sense electrode and the gate electrode. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36)
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Specification