Thyristor

A thyristor comprising a body of semiconductor material, said body having major opposed top and bottom surfaces, a first emitter region of a first type conductivity, a first base region of a second type conductivity adjacent to said first emitter region, a p-n junction between said first emitter region and said first base region, a second base region of the first type conductivity adjacent to said first base region, a p-n junction between said first and said second base region, a second emitter region of the second type conductivity adjacent to said second base region, a p-n junction between said second base region and said second emitter region, a first metal electrode in an ohmic electrical contact relationship with said first emitter region, a second metal electrode in an ohmic electrical contact relationship with said second emitter region, a third metal electrode in an ohmic electrical contact relationship with one of said base regions, a plurality of gate regions having said second type of conductivity spaced apart of predetermined intervals on said p-n junction between said second base region and said first base region and protruding into said base region a predetermined distance, said predetermined distance being less than the thickness of said second base region, a plurality of highly doped regions having said second type of conductivity disposed at predetermined intervals along the p-n junction between said second emitter region and the second base region and protruding into said second base region a predetermined distance, said predetermined distance being less than the thickness of said second base region, said highly doped regions being vertically aligned with the intervals between said gate regions.