Semiconductor device having a control signal output terminal and power converter

Abstract

The semiconductor device configures a cascode-type high voltage element comprising a plurality of low voltage elements connected in series, wherein the number of stages of connected low voltage elements is reduced, and the high voltage element has desired withstand voltage, without limiting the withstand voltage of the gate oxide film of the low voltage elements. The semiconductor device comprises a first semiconductor element and one or more second semiconductor elements connected in series, wherein the first and the second semiconductor elements have a control signal output terminal between a source terminal and a drain terminal or between an emitter terminal and a collector terminal; and a gate terminal of the one or more second semiconductor elements is connected to the control signal output terminal of the first or second semiconductor element connected in series adjacently to the source or emitter side of said one or more second semiconductor elements.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.