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US 2023/0147438 A1Published application
Semiconductor device, power conversion apparatus, and method for driving semiconductor device
AssigneeMitsubishi Electric Corporation
InventorKatsumi SATOH
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Abstract
A semiconductor device includes a layer structure including a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode, and a first main electrode and a second main electrode that can be electrically connected through the layer structure. The threshold voltage of the second gate electrode is higher than the threshold voltage of the first gate electrode. In the α state and the β condition, the switching operation is performed using the first gate electrode, and in the γ state or the δ condition, the switching operation is performed using the second gate electrode.
Claims17
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a layer structure;
- and
- a first main electrode and a second main electrode configured to be conducting through the layer structure,
- wherein the layer structure includes:
- a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
- a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type partially provided in a surface layer on the first surface;
- a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type partially provided in a surface layer on the first surface;
- a second semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type partially provided in a surface layer in the first semiconductor region and a surface layer in the second semiconductor region;
- a first gate insulating film provided in contact with the first semiconductor region sandwiched between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;
- a second gate insulating film provided in contact with the second semiconductor region sandwiched between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;
- a first gate electrode being a gate electrode provided in contact with the first gate insulating film;
- and
- a second gate electrode being the gate electrode provided in contact with the second gate insulating film,
- applying a voltage to the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode makes it possible to switch between an ON state in which the first main electrode and the second main electrode are conducting through the layer structure and an OFF state in which the first main electrode and the second main electrode are not conducting through the layer structure,
- a threshold voltage of the second gate electrode is higher than a threshold voltage of the first gate electrode,
- α state in which a temperature of the layer structure is lower than a threshold temperature is defined as an α state,
- α state in which a temperature of the layer structure is equal to or higher than a threshold temperature is defined as a γ state,
- in the α state, a switching operation of switching to the ON state or the OFF state is performed using the first gate electrode, and
- in the γ state, the switching operation is performed using the second gate electrode.
16 more elements
A method for driving a semiconductor device, wherein
- the semiconductor device includes:
- a layer structure;
- and
- a first main electrode and a second main electrode configured to be conducting through the layer structure,
- the layer structure includes:
- a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
- a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type partially provided in a surface layer on the first surface;
- a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type partially provided in a surface layer on the first surface;
- a second semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type partially provided in a surface layer in the first semiconductor region and a surface layer in the second semiconductor region;
- a first gate insulating film provided in contact with the first semiconductor region sandwiched between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;
- a second gate insulating film provided in contact with the second semiconductor region sandwiched between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;
- a first gate electrode being a gate electrode provided in contact with the first gate insulating film;
- and
- a second gate electrode being the gate electrode provided in contact with the second gate insulating film,
- applying a voltage to the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode makes it possible to switch between an ON state in which the first main electrode and the second main electrode are conducting through the layer structure and an OFF state in which the first main electrode and the second main electrode are not conducting through the layer structure,
- a threshold voltage of the second gate electrode is higher than a threshold voltage of the first gate electrode,
- α state in which a temperature of the layer structure is lower than a threshold temperature is defined as an α state,
- α state in which a temperature of the layer structure is equal to or higher than the threshold temperature is defined as a γ state,
- in the α state, a switching operation of switching to the ON state or the OFF state is performed using the first gate electrode, and
- in the γ state, the switching operation is performed using the second gate electrode,
- the method comprising switching a voltage applied to the gate electrode not used for the switching operation, before performing the switching operation for switching to the OFF state.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.