# US 2020/0401172 A1 · Device design for short-circuit protection of transistors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0401172 A1 - Document ID: US20200401172A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/448,538 - Filed: 2019-06-21 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-21 - Assignees: Cree, Inc. - Applicants: Cree, Inc. - Inventors: James Richmond; Edward Robert Van Brunt; Philipp Steinmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200401172A1 ## CPC - G05F 1/569: for protection - H03K 17/0828: {in composite switches} - G01R 31/50: Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections (testing of sparking plugs H01T13/58) - G05F 3/20: using diode- transistor combinations (G05F3/18 takes precedence) - H03K 17/0822: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 17/74: by the use, as active elements, of diodes (by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device H03K17/567; by the use of tunnel diodes H03K17/58; by the use of negative resistance diodes H03K17/70) - H10D 30/665: {having edge termination structures} - H10D 62/8325: {Silicon carbide} - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract A transistor semiconductor die includes a first current terminal, a second current terminal, and a control terminal. A semiconductor structure is between the first current terminal, the second current terminal, and the control terminal and configured such that a resistance between the first current terminal and the second current terminal is based on a control signal provided at the control terminal. Short circuit protection circuitry is coupled between the control terminal and the second current terminal. In a normal mode of operation, the short circuit protection circuitry is configured to provide a voltage drop that is greater than a voltage of the control signal. In a short circuit protection mode of operation, the short circuit protection circuitry is configured to provide a voltage drop that is less than a voltage of the control signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transistor semiconductor die comprising: a first current terminal and a second current terminal; a control terminal; a semiconductor structure between the first current terminal, the second current terminal, and the control terminal, the semiconductor structure configured such that a resistance between the first current terminal and the second current terminal is based on a control signal provided at the control terminal; and short circuit protection circuitry coupled between the control terminal and the second current terminal and configured to: in a normal mode of operation, provide a voltage drop between the control terminal and the second current terminal that is greater than a voltage of the control signal; and in a short circuit protection mode of operation, provide a voltage drop between the control terminal and the second current terminal that is less than a voltage of the control signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 1 wherein the short circuit protection circuitry comprises one or more diodes coupled between the control terminal and the second current terminal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 2 wherein the one or more diodes are provided by a plurality of implanted regions in the semiconductor structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 2 wherein the one or more diodes are provided by an additional semiconductor layer on the semiconductor structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 2 further comprising a resistive element coupled between the short circuit protection circuitry and the control terminal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 5 wherein: the one or more diodes have a negative temperature coefficient with respect to a voltage drop across the one or more diodes; and the resistive element has a positive temperature coefficient with respect to a resistance thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 2 wherein the one or more diodes have a negative temperature coefficient with respect to a voltage drop across the one or more diodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 2 wherein the one or more diodes are coupled in series such that an anode of a first one of the one or more diodes is coupled to the control terminal and a cathode of a last one of the one or more diodes is coupled to the second current terminal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 8 wherein the one or more diodes are PN diodes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 8 wherein the one or more diodes are Schottky diodes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 2 wherein the one or more diodes are Zener diodes coupled in series such that a cathode of a first one of the one or more diodes is coupled to the control terminal and an anode of a last one of the one or more diodes is coupled to the second current terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor structure comprises silicon carbide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 12 wherein the semiconductor structure provides a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) such that the first current terminal is a drain terminal and the second current terminal is a source terminal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 12 wherein the semiconductor structure provides an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) such that the first current terminal is a collector terminal and the second current terminal is an emitter terminal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 1 wherein: the transistor semiconductor die is configured to operate in the normal mode of operation when a temperature of the semiconductor structure is below a short circuit threshold temperature; and the transistor semiconductor die is configured to operate in the short circuit protection mode of operation when a temperature of the semiconductor structure is above the short circuit threshold temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 1 wherein the voltage drop between the control terminal and the second current terminal provided by the short circuit protection circuitry has a negative temperature coefficient. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 1 wherein an on-state resistance of the transistor semiconductor die is less than 3.0 mΩ/cm2, a blocking voltage of the transistor semiconductor die is greater than 600V, and a short circuit withstand time of the transistor semiconductor die is greater than 3 μs. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 17 wherein the on-state resistance of the transistor semiconductor die is greater than 0.1 mΩ/cm2, the blocking voltage of the transistor semiconductor die is less than 10 kV, and a short circuit withstand time of the transistor semiconductor die is less than 10 s. ### Claim 19 A transistor semiconductor die comprising: a first current terminal and a second current terminal; a control terminal; and a semiconductor structure between the first current terminal, the second current terminal, and the control terminal, the semiconductor structure configured such that a resistance between the first current terminal and the second current terminal is based on a control signal provided at the control terminal, an on-state resistance of the transistor semiconductor die is less than 3.0 mΩ/cm2, a blocking voltage of the transistor semiconductor die is greater than 600V, and a short circuit withstand time of the transistor semiconductor die is greater than 3 μs. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 19 wherein the on-state resistance of the transistor semiconductor die is greater than 0.1 mΩ/cm2, the blocking voltage of the transistor semiconductor die is less than 10 kV, and the short circuit withstand time of the transistor semiconductor die is less than 10 s. ### Claim 21 A transistor semiconductor die comprising: a first current terminal and a second current terminal; a control terminal; a semiconductor structure between the first current terminal, the second current terminal, and the control terminal, the semiconductor structure configured such that a resistance between the first current terminal and the second current terminal is based on a control signal provided at the control terminal; and short circuit protection circuitry coupled between the control terminal and the second current terminal, the short circuit protection circuitry comprising a plurality of diodes coupled in series between the control terminal and the second current terminal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 21 wherein the plurality of diodes are coupled in series such that an anode of a first one of the plurality of diodes is coupled to the control terminal, a cathode of a last one of the plurality of diodes is coupled to the second current terminal, and each adjacent pair of diodes in the plurality of diodes is coupled anode-to-cathode. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 22 further comprising a resistive element coupled between the cathode of the last one of the plurality of diodes and the second current terminal. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 23 wherein: the one or more diodes have a negative temperature coefficient with respect to a voltage drop across the one or more diodes; and the resistive element has a negative temperature coefficient with respect to a resistance thereof. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 21 wherein the plurality of diodes are coupled in series such that a cathode of a first one of the plurality of diodes is coupled to the control terminal, an anode of a last one of the plurality of diodes is coupled to the second current terminal, and each adjacent pair of diodes in the plurality of diodes is coupled anode-to-cathode. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 23 wherein the plurality of diodes are Zener diodes. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 25 further comprising a resistive element coupled between the anode of the last one of the diodes and the second current terminal. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 27 wherein: the one or more diodes have a negative temperature coefficient with respect to a voltage drop across the one or more diodes; and the resistive element has a positive temperature coefficient with respect to a resistance thereof. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 21 further comprising a resistive element coupled between the short circuit protection circuitry and the control terminal. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The transistor semiconductor die of claim 29 wherein: the one or more diodes have a negative temperature coefficient with respect to a voltage drop across the one or more diodes; and the resistive element has a positive temperature coefficient with respect to a resistance thereof.