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AssigneeCutler-Hammer, Inc.
InventorsStanley V. Jaskolski, Robert W. Lade, Herman P. Schutten, Gordon B. Spellman
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A monolithic semiconductor device is disclosed comprising a power switching thyristor and a temperature sensitive thyristor integrated on a common substrate. In preferred form, the temperature sensitive thyristor is electrically connected between the gate terminal and one of the main terminals of the power switching thyristor, and is thermally actuatable to intrinsically switch from a high to a low resistance state above a predetermined temperature of the power switching thyristor sensed through the common substrate, whereby to shunt gate current and automatically inhibit turn-on of the power switching thyristor to prevent overheating thereof. Depending on circuit variations, the power switching thyristor may be rendered conductive above or below a predetermined temperature, or within a defined temperature range. Normally off and normally on devices are disclosed.
A monolithic semiconductor device comprising on a common substrate a plurality of junctions of opposite conductivity type regions, at least one of said junctions being a power switching junction having a current blocking off state and a current passing on state whereby to exhibit a current switching characteristic, at least another of said junctions being a temperature sensitive junction thermally actuatable to intrinsically switch between high and low resistance states in response to a predetermined temperature of said power switching junction sensed through said substrate, said predetermined temperature being less than the thermal breakover temperature of said power switching junction.
A semiconductor device comprising a power switch and a temperature switch integrated on a common substrate, said power switch having a current blocking off state and a current passing on state and including a gate electrically connected to said temperature switch, said temperature switch being thermally actuatable to intrinsically switch between high and low resistance states whereby to control the conduction state of said power switch in response to temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.