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US 2026/0314064 A1Published application
A transistor device and a method of operating thereof
AssigneeSearch For The Next LTD
InventorsDavid SUMMERLAND, Roger LIGHT, Luke KNIGHT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bipolar transistor having a semiconductor structure that includes a channel of semiconductor type that is the same as the collector and emitter regions. The channel is significantly shallower than the base region with which it interfaces. The novel structure provides improved current gain. It also enables the device to operate, when on, selectively either with primarily unipolar conduction or primarily bipolar conduction by control of the voltage across the emitter and collector terminals.
Claims21
1-24. (canceled)
A circuit comprising:
- a first transistor,
- a base of the first transistor connected to a source of a two state logic signal;
- the first transistor having:
- a collector region provided by a first region of semiconductor of a first type, and a collector terminal associated with the collector region;
- an emitter region provided by a second region of semiconductor of the first type;
- an emitter terminal associated with the emitter region;
- a base region provided by a third region of semiconductor lying between and interfacing with both the collector region and emitter region;
- a base terminal associated with the base region;
- wherein the base region includes:
- a sub-region of semiconductor of a second type;
- and
- a channel of semiconductor of the first type;
- wherein the base terminal contacts the base region;
- the sub-region interfaces with the channel to provide a first diode junction, and interfaces with both the emitter region and the collector region to form further diode junctions,
- and the channel interfaces with and interconnects the collector region and the emitter region, the channel extending away from the first diode junction;
- and
- in which the circuit is adapted to switchably operate, in response to a change in the two state logic signal between a first state and a second state;
- a load is connected to an output of the first transistor, and a voltage Vce across the collector and emitter to allow for a non-zero current through the collector terminal in both the first and second states;
- and
- in the first state a first voltage Vbe1 is applied across the emitter and base of the first transistor to cause a first non-zero current Ice1 between the collector and emitter of the first transistor;
- and in the second state a second voltage Vbe2 of a same polarity to Vbe1 is applied across the emitter and base of the first transistor to cause a second, larger, non-zero current Ice2 between the collector and emitter of the first transistor, and
- wherein |Vce| is above a |threshold voltage|, and Vbe1 Vbe2 are selected so that in the first state Ice1 is predominantly attributable to unipolar conduction, and in the second state Ice2 is attributable to both unipolar and bipolar conduction.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.