Bidirectional semiconductor switch
First Claim
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1. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
- (a) a first insulated gate semiconductor device having a first main electrode, a second main electrode, a first gate insulating film disposed between the first and second main electrodes, and a first gate electrode formed on the first gate insulating film;
(b) a second insulated gate semiconductor device having a first main electrode connected to the second main electrode of said first insulated gate semiconductor device, a second main electrode connected to the first main electrode of said first insulated gate semiconductor device, a second gate insulating film disposed between the first and second main electrodes of the second insulated gate semiconductor device, and a second gate electrode formed on the second gate insulating film;
(c) a first gate controller connected to the first gate electrode for capacitively controlling the current flowing between the first and second main electrodes of said first insulated gate semiconductor device; and
(d) a second gate controller connected to the second gate electrode for capacitively controlling the current flowing between the first and second main electrodes of said second insulated gate semiconductor device.
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Abstract
A bidirectional semiconductor switch employs two insulated gate semiconductor devices such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) that are connected oppositely in parallel, with the collector of one of the IGBTs being connected to the emitter of the other. The gates of the IGBTs are biased by gate controllers that are potentially independent of each other. The semiconductor switch is capable of controlling a direct current as well as an alternating current at a low ON-state voltage, reducing a conduction loss, and improving efficiency.
130 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first insulated gate semiconductor device having a first main electrode, a second main electrode, a first gate insulating film disposed between the first and second main electrodes, and a first gate electrode formed on the first gate insulating film; (b) a second insulated gate semiconductor device having a first main electrode connected to the second main electrode of said first insulated gate semiconductor device, a second main electrode connected to the first main electrode of said first insulated gate semiconductor device, a second gate insulating film disposed between the first and second main electrodes of the second insulated gate semiconductor device, and a second gate electrode formed on the second gate insulating film; (c) a first gate controller connected to the first gate electrode for capacitively controlling the current flowing between the first and second main electrodes of said first insulated gate semiconductor device; and (d) a second gate controller connected to the second gate electrode for capacitively controlling the current flowing between the first and second main electrodes of said second insulated gate semiconductor device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6)
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3. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first IGBT having a first emitter layer, a first emitter electrode on the first emitter layer and on a first base layer, a first gate insulating film on the first base layer, a first gate electrode on the first gate insulating film, a first anode layer, and a first anode electrode on the first anode layer; (b) a second IGBT having a second emitter layer, a second emitter electrode on the second emitter layer connected to the first anode electrode, a second base layer, a second gate insulating film on the second base layer, a second gate electrode on the second gate insulating film, a second anode layer, and a second anode electrode on the second anode layer connected to the first emitter electrode; (c) a first gate controller connected between the first emitter electrode and the first gate electrode; (d) a second gate controller connected between the second emitter electrode and the second gate electrode, wherein the first and second IGBTs consist of the emitter layers of the same conductivity type and the base layers of the same conductivity type. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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4. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) an n-channel IGBT having a first emitter electrode, a first gate electrode, and a first anode electrode; (b) a p-channel IGBT having a second emitter electrode connected to the first emitter electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second anode electrode connected to the first anode electrode; (c) a first gate controller; and (d) a second gate controller, wherein said first gate controller is connected between the first emitter electrode and the first gate electrode and said second gate controller is connected between the second emitter electrode and the second gate electrode. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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7. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first IGBT having a first emitter, a first gate, and a first anode electrode; (b) a second IGBT having a second emitter connected to the first anode electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second anode electrode connected to the first emitter electrode; (c) a first gate controller connected to the first gate electrode; and (d) a second gate controller connected to the second gate electrode, wherein the first and second IGBTs are integrated on a same semiconductor substrate.
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8. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first IGBT having a first emitter, a first gate, and a first anode electrode; (b) a second IGBT having a second emitter connected to the first anode electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second anode electrode connected to the first emitter electrode; (c) a first gate controller connected to the first gate electrode; and (d) a second gate controller connected to the second gate electrode, wherein the first and second IGBTs and said first and second gate controllers are mounted on a single ceramic substrate, or on a single semi-insulated metal substrate.
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9. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first IGBT having a first emitter, a first gate, and a first anode electrode; (b) a second IGBT having a second emitter connected to the first anode electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second anode electrode connected to the first emitter electrode; (c) a first gate controller connected to the first gate electrode; and (d) a second gate controller connected to the second gate electrode, wherein; the first IGBT is mounted on a first lead frame; the second IGBT is mounted on a second lead frame; said first and second gate controllers are mounted on a third lead frame; and the first, second, and third lead frames are packed in resin to form a single package. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first IGBT having a first emitter, a first gate, and a first anode electrode; (b) a second IGBT having a second emitter connected to the first anode electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second anode electrode connected to the first emitter electrode; (c) a first gate controller connected to the first gate electrode; and (d) a second gate controller connected to the second gate electrode, wherein; the first IGBT is mounted on a first lead frame; the second IGBT is mounted on a second lead frame; said first gate controller is mounted on a third lead frame; said second gate controller is mounted on a fourth lead frame; and the first, second, third, and fourth lead frames are packed in resin to form a single package. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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20. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first IGBT formed on a first semiconductor chip, having a first emitter, a first gate, and a first anode electrode; (b) a second IGBT formed on a second semiconductor chip, having a second emitter connected to the first anode electrode, a second gate electrode and a second anode electrode connected to the first emitter electrode; (c) a first gate controller connected to the first gate electrode; and (d) a second gate controller connected to the second gate electrode, wherein each side of the first and second semiconductor chips is covered with a diffusion layer of high impurity concentration.
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21. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first IGBT formed on a first semiconductor chip, having a first emitter, a first gate, and a first anode electrode; (b) a second IGBT formed on a second semiconductor chip, having a second emitter connected to the first anode electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second anode electrode connected to the first emitter electrode; (c) a first gate controller connected to the first gate electrode; and (d) a second gate controller connected to the second gate electrode, wherein the peripheries of the top and bottom surfaces of the first and second semiconductor chips are beveled by etching, and the beveled surface is covered with a glass layer.
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22. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a semiconductor substrate of first conductivity type; (b) a first semiconductor region of second conductivity type formed on a first principal plane of said semiconductor substrate, and a first emitter region of first conductivity type formed inside said first semiconductor region; (c) a second semiconductor region of second conductivity type formed on a second principal plane opposite to the first principal plane of said semiconductor substrate, and a second emitter region of first conductivity type formed inside said second semiconductor region; (d) a first gate electrode formed on a gate oxide film that is formed on the surface of said first semiconductor region; (e) a second gate electrode formed on a gate oxide film that is formed on the surface of said second semiconductor region; (f) a first main electrode region electrically connected to said first semiconductor region and first emitter region; (g) a second main electrode region electrically connected to said second semiconductor region and second emitter region; (h) a first gate controller electrically connected between said first main electrode region and said first gate electrode; and (i) a second gate controller electrically connected between said second main electrode region and said second gate electrode. - View Dependent Claims (23, 25, 27)
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24. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
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(a) a first semiconductor region of second conductivity type formed on a semiconductor substrate of first conductivity type; (b) second and third semiconductor regions of first conductivity type formed on the surface of said first semiconductor region; (c) first and second emitter regions of second conductivity type formed inside said second and third semiconductor regions, respectively; (d) first and second gate electrodes formed on gate oxide films that are formed on the surfaces of said second and third semiconductor regions, respectively; (e) a first main electrode region electrically connected to said second semiconductor region and first emitter region; (f) a second main electrode region electrically connected to said third semiconductor region and second emitter region; (g) a first gate controller electrically connected between said first main electrode region and said first gate electrode; and (h) a second gate controller electrically connected between said second main electrode region and said second gate electrode. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification