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US 2011/0215858 A1Published application
Controlling the recombination rate in a bipolar semiconductor component
AssigneeInfineon Technologies Austria AG
InventorsAnton Mauder, Franz Hirler, Frank Pfirsch, Hans-Joachim Schulze
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method for controlling the recombination rate in the base region of a bipolar semiconductor component, and a bipolar semiconductor component.
Claims28
A method for controlling the recombination rate in a bipolar semiconductor component operable to enter an on-state and an off-state and that comprises a base region in which in the on-state a charge carrier plasma with p-type and n-type charge carriers is present, the method comprising:
- providing a recombination rate control structure, the control structure comprising a dielectric layer adjoining the base region, a control electrode separated from the base region by the dielectric layer, and recombination centers;
- and
- applying a control voltage between the control electrode and the base region after the semiconductor component enters the on-state and before the semiconductor component enters the off-state, the control voltage being selected such that an electric field is generated in the base region that reduces the concentration of charge carriers of one type in the region of the recombination centers.
A bipolar semiconductor component operable to enter an on-state or an off-state, the component comprising:
- a base region that is adapted in the on-state to accommodate a charge carrier plasma with p-type and n-type charge carriers;
- and
- a recombination rate control structure, the control structure comprising a dielectric layer adjoining the base region, a control electrode separated from the base region by the dielectric layer, and recombination centers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.