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US 2026/0247645 A1Published application
Semiconductor switching module with insulated gate bipolar transistor and unipolar switching device
OwnerRoman Baburskeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor switching module includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor and a unipolar switching device. The insulated gate bipolar transistor includes a first cell and a second cell, wherein the first cell includes a first gate, a body region and a first source. The second cell includes a second gate and a body region but is devoid of a source region. The unipolar switching device is based on a wide bandgap material and includes a third gate and a third source. The third gate and the second gate are electrically connected with each other and are disconnected from the first gate. The first source, the supplemental cell and the third source are electrically connected with each other.
Claims28
A semiconductor switching module, comprising:
- an insulated gate bipolar transistor that comprises
- a semiconductor body,
- a first metallization at a first surface of the semiconductor body,
- a second metallization at a second surface of the semiconductor body,
- an active transistor region configured for conducting a forward load current between the first metallization and the second metallization,
- wherein the active transistor region comprises at least a first cell, at least a second cell, and a collector layer including a second zone of a second conductivity type electrically connected to the second metallization,
- wherein the first cell includes a first gate, a first source of a first conductivity type electrically connected to the first metallization and a first body region portion electrically connected to the first metallization,
- wherein the second cell includes a second gate and a second body region portion electrically connected to the first metallization, wherein the second cell is devoid of a source region of the first conductivity type and wherein the second cell laterally overlaps with the second zone;
- and
- a unipolar switching device based on a wide bandgap material and including a third gate and a third source, wherein the third gate and the second gate are electrically connected and disconnected from the first gate, and wherein the first metallization and the third source are electrically connected with each other.
7 more elements
A semiconductor switching module, comprising:
- an insulated gate bipolar transistor that comprises
- a semiconductor body,
- an active transistor region configured for conducting a forward load current in a vertical direction through the semiconductor body,
- wherein the active transistor region comprises a first trench electrode structure forming a first gate, a second trench electrode structure forming a second gate, and a collector layer including a second zone of a second conductivity type,
- wherein a mesa is confined between the first and the second trench electrode structure, the mesa comprising a portion of a drift region of a first conductivity type, a portion of a body region of the second conductivity type and a source of the first conductivity type,
- wherein the source is adjacent to the first gate and separated from the second gate by the portion of the body region and wherein, in a vertical section through the mesa, the source is the only dopant region of the first conductivity type within the mesa above the pn-junction,
- wherein the mesa fully overlaps the second zone;
- and
- a unipolar switching device based on a wide bandgap material and including a third gate and a third source,
- wherein the third gate and the second gate are electrically connected and disconnected from the first gate, and wherein the first source, the portion of the body region and the third source are electrically connected with each other.
7 more elements
A method of operating a semiconductor switching module, the semiconductor switching module comprising:
- an insulated gate bipolar transistor that comprises
- an active transistor region comprising a plurality of first cells and a plurality of second cells,
- wherein the first cells each include a first gate, a first portion of a body region, and a first source,
- wherein the second cells each include a second gate, a second portion of the body region and no source,
- wherein the first cells and second cells are evenly distributed across the active transistor region;
- a unipolar switching device based on a wide bandgap material and including a third gate and a third source,
- wherein the third gate and the second gate are electrically connected and disconnected from the first gate, and wherein the first source, the first and second portion of the body region and the third source are electrically connected with each other,
- wherein the method comprises
- turning on the unipolar switching device and the second cell after turning on the first cell, and
- turning off the unipolar switching device and the second cell prior to turning off the first cell.
7 more elements
A method of operating a semiconductor switching module, the semiconductor switching module comprising:
- an insulated gate bipolar transistor that comprises
- an active transistor region comprising a plurality of first cells and a plurality of second cells,
- wherein the first cells each include a first gate, a first portion of a body region, and a first source,
- wherein the second cells each include a second gate, a second portion of the body region and a second source,
- wherein the first cells and second cells are evenly distributed across the active transistor region;
- a unipolar switching device based on a wide bandgap material and including a third gate and a third source,
- wherein the third gate and the second gate are electrically connected and disconnected from the first gate, and wherein the first source, the first and second portion of the body region and the third source are electrically connected with each other,
- wherein the method comprises
- turning off the unipolar switching device and the second cell after turning off the first cell.
6 more elements
A semiconductor switching module, comprising:
- an insulated gate bipolar transistor that comprises
- a semiconductor body,
- a first metallization at a first surface of the semiconductor body,
- a second metallization at a second surface of the semiconductor body,
- an active transistor region configured for conducting a forward load current between the first metallization and the second metallization,
- wherein the active transistor region comprises at least a first cell, at least a second cell, and a collector layer including a second zone of a second conductivity type electrically connected to the second metallization,
- wherein the first cell includes a first gate, a first source of a first conductivity type electrically connected to the first metallization and a first body region portion electrically connected to the first metallization,
- wherein the second cell includes a second gate, a second source of a first conductivity type electrically connected to the first metallization and a second body region portion electrically connected to the first metallization;
- and
- a unipolar switching device based on a wide bandgap material and including a third gate and a third source,
- wherein the third gate and the second gate are electrically connected and disconnected from the first gate, and wherein the first metallization and the third source are electrically connected with each other, and
- wherein the semiconductor switching module is configured for turning off the unipolar switching device and the second cell after turning off the first cell.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.