# US 12,009,658 B2 · Unidirectional transient voltage suppression device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,658 B2 - Document ID: US12009658B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/661,352 - Filed: 2022-04-29 - Published: 2022-11-10 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-07 - Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS - Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS - Inventors: Jean-Michel Simonnet; David Jouve; Frédéric Lanois - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009658B2 ## CPC - H02H 9/046: {responsive to excess voltage appearing at terminals of integrated circuits} - H10D 8/60: Schottky-barrier diodes - H02H 9/005: {avoiding undesired transient conditions} - H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection - H02M 1/348: {Passive dissipative snubbers} - H02M 3/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections} - H02M 3/33573: {Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer} - H10D 62/10: Shapes, relative sizes or dispositions of the regions of the semiconductor bodies; Shapes of the semiconductor bodies - H10D 89/611: {using diodes as protective elements} - H10W 42/60: protecting against electrostatic charges or discharges, e.g. Faraday shields (integrated devices comprising arrangements for electrical protection H10D89/60) - H10W 90/00: Package configurations - H02M 1/346: {Passive non-dissipative snubbers} - H10D 8/411: {PN diodes having planar bodies} - H10W 72/884: {Die-attach connectors and bond wires} - H10W 72/944: {Dispositions of multiple bond pads} - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a transient voltage suppression device comprising a single crystal semiconductor substrate doped with a first conductivity type comprising first and second opposing surfaces, a semiconductor region doped with a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type extending into the substrate from the first surface, a first electrically conductive electrode on the first side contacting the semiconductor region and a second electrically conductive electrode on the second side contacting the substrate, a first interface between the substrate and the semiconductor region forming the junction of a TVS diode and a second interface between the first electrically conductive electrode and the semiconductor region or between the substrate and the second electrically conductive electrode forming the junction of a Schottky diode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transient voltage suppression device comprising: a single crystal semiconductor substrate doped with a first conductivity type and comprising first and second surfaces opposing each other; a semiconductor region doped with a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type and extending into the substrate from the first surface; a first electrically conductive electrode on the first surface contacting the semiconductor region; a second electrically conductive electrode on the second surface contacting the substrate; a first interface between the substrate and the semiconductor region forming a junction of a transient voltage suppression diode; and a second interface between the first electrically conductive electrode and the semiconductor region forming a junction of a Schottky diode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein a dopant concentration of the second conductivity type of the semiconductor region is between 1·1016 at/cm3 and 1·1017 at/cm3. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein a dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the substrate at the first interface is between 2·1014 at/cm3 and 3·1016 at/cm3. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a stack of first and second portions, wherein: the first portion contains the semiconductor region; the second portion is in contact with the second electrically conductive electrode; and a first dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the first portion is strictly lower than a second dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the second portion. ### Claim 5 An electronic circuit comprising: an electrically conductive support; an electronic component having first and second terminals, wherein the second terminal is attached to the electrically conductive support; and a transient voltage suppression device comprising: a single crystal semiconductor substrate doped with a first conductivity type and comprising first and second surfaces opposing each other; a semiconductor region doped with a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type and extending into the substrate from the first surface; a first electrically conductive electrode on the first surface contacting the semiconductor region; a second electrically conductive electrode on the second surface contacting the substrate and attached to the electrically conductive support; a first interface between the substrate and the semiconductor region forming a junction of a transient voltage suppression diode; and a second interface between the first electrically conductive electrode and the semiconductor region or between the substrate and the second electrically conductive electrode forming a junction of a Schottky diode, the transient voltage suppression diode and the Schottky diode being coupled between the first and the second electrically conductive electrodes in anti-series configuration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electronic circuit according to claim 5, wherein the first electrically conductive electrode of the transient voltage suppression device is electrically connected to the first terminal of the electronic component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The electronic circuit according to claim 5, wherein the second interface is located between the first electrically conductive electrode and the semiconductor region, and wherein a dopant concentration of the second conductivity type of the semiconductor region is between 1·1016 at/cm3 and 1·1017 at/cm3. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The electronic circuit according to claim 5, wherein the second interface is located between the substrate and the second electrically conductive electrode, and wherein a dopant concentration of the second conductivity type of the semiconductor region is between 1·1016 at/cm3 and 1·1020 at/cm3. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The electronic circuit according to claim 5, wherein the second interface is located between the first electrically conductive electrode and the semiconductor region, and wherein a dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the substrate at the first interface is between 2·1014 at/cm3 and 3·1016 at/cm3. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The electronic circuit according to claim 5, wherein the second interface is located between the substrate and the second electrically conductive electrode, and wherein a dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the substrate at the first interface is between 2·1014 at/cm3 and 1·1017 at/cm3. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The electronic circuit according to claim 5, wherein the substrate comprises a stack of first and second portions, wherein: the first portion contains the semiconductor region; the second portion is in contact with the second electrically conductive electrode; and a first dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the first portion is strictly lower than a second dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the second portion. ### Claim 12 An electronic circuit comprising: at least one electronic component; and a transient voltage suppression device arranged in parallel with the electronic component and comprising: a single crystal semiconductor substrate doped with a first conductivity type and comprising first and second surfaces opposing each other; a semiconductor region doped with a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type and extending into the substrate from the first surface; a first electrically conductive electrode on the first surface contacting the semiconductor region; a second electrically conductive electrode on the second surface contacting the substrate; a first interface between the substrate and the semiconductor region forming a junction of a transient voltage suppression diode; and a second interface between the first electrically conductive electrode and the semiconductor region or between the substrate and the second electrically conductive electrode forming a junction of a Schottky diode, the transient voltage suppression diode and the Schottky diode being coupled between the first and the second electrically conductive electrodes in anti-series configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electronic circuit according to claim 12, further comprising at least four bridge-connected electronic components, and four transient voltage suppression devices, each transient voltage suppression device being arranged in parallel with a respective one of the bridge-connected electronic components. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The electronic circuit according to claim 12, wherein the second interface is located between the first electrically conductive electrode and the semiconductor region, and wherein a dopant concentration of the second conductivity type of the semiconductor region is between 1·1016 at/cm3 and 1·1017 at/cm3. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The electronic circuit according to claim 12, wherein the second interface is located between the substrate and the second electrically conductive electrode, and wherein a dopant concentration of the second conductivity type of the semiconductor region is between 1·1016 at/cm3 and 1·1020 at/cm3. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The electronic circuit according to claim 12, wherein the second interface is located between the first electrically conductive electrode and the semiconductor region, and wherein a dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the substrate at the first interface is between 2·1014 at/cm3 and 3·1016 at/cm3. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The electronic circuit according to claim 12, wherein the second interface is located between the substrate and the second electrically conductive electrode, and wherein a dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the substrate at the first interface is between 2·1014 at/cm3 and 1·1017 at/cm3. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The electronic circuit according to claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises a stack of first and second portions, wherein: the first portion contains the semiconductor region; the second portion is in contact with the second electrically conductive electrode; and a first dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the first portion is strictly lower than a second dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the second portion. ### Claim 19 A transient voltage suppression device comprising: a single crystal semiconductor substrate doped with a first conductivity type and comprising first and second surfaces opposing each other; a semiconductor region doped with a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type and extending into the substrate from the first surface; a first electrically conductive electrode on the first surface contacting the semiconductor region; a second electrically conductive electrode on the second surface contacting the substrate; a first interface between the substrate and the semiconductor region forming a junction of a transient voltage suppression diode; and a second interface between the substrate and the second electrically conductive electrode forming a junction of a Schottky diode, the transient voltage suppression diode and the Schottky diode being coupled between the first and the second electrically conductive electrodes in anti-series configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The device according to claim 19, wherein a dopant concentration of the second conductivity type of the semiconductor region is between 1·1016 at/cm3 and 1·1020 at/cm3. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The device according to claim 19, wherein a dopant concentration of the first conductivity type of the substrate at the first interface is between 2·1014 at/cm3 and 1·1017 at/cm3.