Light activated thyristor capable of activation by intensity radiation
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorPeter Voss
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Abstract
The present invention pertains to a light activated thyristor which increases the current density of light-generated carriers by means of a low resistance path from an area of carrier generation in a base zone of a first conductivity type into a portion of an adjacent emitter zone of a second conductivity type. In one embodiment the low resistance path takes the form of an annular gate electrode affixed to the base zone and having a projection bordering the base-emitter PN junction. In another embodiment the low resistance path takes the form of a ballast segment disposed in the base zone, the ballast segment having an opening for funnelling the carriers to the base-emitter PN junction.
Claims7
A light activated thyristor comprising:
- a. a body of a semiconductor material;
- said body comprising an emitter zone of a first conductivity type adjacent to a major surface of said body, a base zone of a second conductivity type adjacent to said emitter zone and sharing a portion of said major surface with said emitter zone, a PN junction interfacing said base zone and said emitter zone and intersecting said major surface between emitter and base zones, said base zone having an area at said major surface for receiving low intensity radiation, said area being a source of carriers generated by said radiation;
- and,
- b. means for providing a low resistance path for carriers in said source area in said base zone to said PN junction without contacting an emitter zone, such that radiation-generated carriers in said source area are concentrated in said path while flowing to said PN junction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.