VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT RESISTOR

• US 3,727,165 A
• Filed: 02/22/1972
• Issued: 04/10/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siegfried Hendrik Hagen
• Original Assignee: Siegfried Hendrik Hagen
• Inventors: Hagen, Siegfried Hendrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Albritton, C. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/228,095
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 338/13,20,21,100,325,223,328 29/621 317/234V
• US Class Current: 338/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/10 voltage responsive, i.e. varistors

Abstract

Voltage-dependent resistor comprising a one-grain-thick layer provided with electrode layers which are in contact with the grains and which are arranged in a pattern of islands partly overlapping each other and located on either side of the layer, so that mutually insulated parts of the grain layer can be connected in series.

Claims

1. A voltage-dependent resistor comprising a one-grain-thick layer of semiconductor grains, embedded in an electrically insulating binder and projecting on either side from the binder, an electrode layer being applied to either side of this grain layer in contact with projecting grain parts, said electrode layers being completely separated from each other by the grain layer and exhibiting between them a non-linear voltage-current characteristic, each of the electrode layers comprising a plurality of island-shaped regions arranged in at least one row, at least one island of each row overlapping partially two consecutive islands belonging to a second row on the opposite side of the grain layer, while at least two islands belonging to said rows are provided with a connecting conductor so that between these connecting conductors all parts of the grain layer located between the overlapping parts of the islands located between the connecting conductors are connected in series with each other.

2. A voltage-dependent resistor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grains have a pnp-structure, the two regions of the same conductivity type of said grains being in contact with an electrode layer on opposite sides of the grain layer.

3. A voltage-dependent resistor comprising a one-grain-thick layer of semiconductor grains, embedded in an electrically insulating binder and projecting on either side from the binder, an electrode layer being applied to either side of this grain layer in contact with projecting grain parts, said electrode layers being completely separated from each other by the grain layer and exhibiting between them a non-linear voltage-current characteristic, each of the electrode layers comprising a plurality of island-shaped regions arranged in at least one row, at least one island of each row overlapping partially two consecutive islands belonging to a second row on the opposite side of the grain layer, while at least two islands belonging to said rows are provided with a connecting conductor so that between these connecting conductors all parts of the grain layer located between the overlapping parts of the islands located between the connecting conductors are connected in series with each other, while between two connecting conductors an even number of parts of the grain layer located between overlapping islands are connected in series.

4. A voltage-dependent resistor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grains have a npn structure, the two regions of the same conductivity type of said grains being in contact with an electrode layer on opposite sides of the grain layer.

5. A voltage-dependent resistor of claim 1 wherein at least one of the islands located between said connecting conductors is provided with a further connecting conductor.

6. A voltage dependent resistor of claim 5 wherein at least one of the connecting conductors is formed by a metal track applied to the grain layer.

7. A voltage-dependent resistor of claim 6 wherein said metal track is connected to an electrode system provided on the grain layer.

8. A voltage-dependent resistor of claim 1 wherein the grains consist of gallium phosphide.

9. A voltage-dependent resistor of claim 1 wherein the grains are made of silicon, preferably n-type conductive silicon.