Integrated injection logic circuits

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of bipolar transistors adjacent a major surface thereof and each including outer zones and a first type conductivity medial active zone making rectifying contact with said outer zones and forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the semiconductor bipolar transistors, said biasing means comprising at least one current injector having an elongated current injection region and a succeeding region forming a current injector rectifying junction with said elongated region, at least said elongated region and said rectifying junction being separate from the transistor active zones, said rectifying junction being spaced from a respective medial active zone of at least first and second transistors, said medial active zones being displaced side by side and lengthwise of said elongated current injection region and both facing said current injector rectifying junction,
• means for forward biasing said current injector rectifying junction so as to cause the injection of charge carriers from said elongated region into said succeeding region and thereby tending to cause collection of charge carriers by the medial active zones of both said first and second transistors, thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between each medial active zone and an adjacent active zone of each of said first and second transistors to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said first and second transistors' active zones,
• the charge carrier-collecting relationship of the medial active zone of said first transistor to the current injector rectifying junction being different from the corresponding relationship for said second transistor and such that the latter's medial active zone can receive a bias current higher than that which can be received by the first transistor's medial active zone, thereby enabling the second transistor to operate at a higher current level than the first transistor, each of the first and second transistors having emitter, base and collector zones, with the medial zone constituting the base, the collector-base junction area of the first transistor being different from that of the second transistor,
• and means interconnecting the transistors of the body for initiating or utilizing their current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of semiconductor circuit elements including bipolar transistors adjacent a major surface thereof and each bipolar transistor including outer active zones and a first type conductivity medial active zone forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the transistors, said biasing means including at least one current injecting zone separate from the transistor active zones and also including an adjacent zone of second type conductivity opposite said first type conductivity forming a rectifying junction with said current injecting zone, said current injecting zone being spaced from a medial active zone of at least one of the transistors by a separating intermediate body region of second opposite-type conductivity, and means for forward biasing said rectifying junction causing the injection of charge carriers into said adjacent zone and the collection of charge carriers from said separating region by a side of said medial active zone facing said adjacent zone, thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between the carrier-collecting medial active zone and an adjacent active zone of said one transistor to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said one transistor's active zones,
• said medial active zone of said one transistor having at least one side other than said facing side and which extends transverse to said major surface,
• means for reducing carrier injection by the said medial active zone back into the separating region thereby to increase the current amplification factor of said one transistor, said carrier injection reducing means comprising means substantially completely circumscribing all sides of said medial active zone, exclusive of said facing side, which are transverse to said major surface and including a surface region of insulating material inset into the body surface adjacent said at least one transverse side of the medial active zone,
• and means interconnecting other circuit elements of the body with said one transistor for initiating or utilizing its current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of bipolar transistors adjacent one major surface thereof and each including outer zones and a first type conductivity medial active zone making rectifying contact with said outer zones and forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the transistors, said biasing means including at least one first type conductivity current injecting zone forming a portion of said body extending as a common layer below all of said medial active zones and forming a rectifying junction with, and being spaced from said medial active zones by, a separating intermediate body region of second opposite-type conductivity, and means for forward biasing the current injecting zone causing the injection of charge carriers into the separating region and collection of charge carriers by each of the medial active zones via a facing side thereof thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between each of the carrier-collecting medial active zones and an adjacent active zone to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said transistor active zones,
• said separating intermediate body region comprising buried second type regions having a higher conductivity than that of adjoining portions of the separating intermediate body regions, said buried region adjoining the said junction and containing below each of the medial zones an interruption wherein the injection of carriers is concentrated,
• and means interconnecting said transistors for initiating or utilizing their current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of semiconductor circuit elements including bipolar transistors adjacent a major surface thereof and each transistor including outer zones and a first type conductivity medial active zone making rectifying contact with said outer zones and forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the transistors, said biasing means comprising a current injector having n successive regions, where n is an odd integer of 5 or greater, and including at least first, second, third, fourth, and fifth successive regions forming n-1 rectifying junction portions including first, second, third and fourth rectifying junction portions of which at least the fourth region is spaced from a medial active zone of at least one of the transistors, said first and third regions being of the first type conductivity, said second and fourth regions being of a second type conductivity opposite to that of the first region, said first region sharing a common semiconductor region with said medial active zone,
• means for forward biasing the rectifying junction portion between the n.sup.th and (n-1).sup.th regions so as to cause the injection of charge carriers into the (n-1).sup.th region and causing collection of charge carriers by the first region of the injector, thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between said medial active zone and an adjacent active zone of said transistor to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said one transistor's active zones,
• means separate from said forward biasing means and connected to the current injector for controlling the carrier collection by said first region of the injector,
• and means interconnecting other circuit elements of the body with said one transistor for initiating or utilizing its current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of semiconductor circuit elements adjacent a major surface thereof and including a bipolar transistor having outer zones and a semiconductor medial active zone making rectifying contact with said outer zones, and forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the semiconductor circuit elements, said biasing means comprising a current injector having an odd number of successive regions including at least first, second, third, fourth and fifth successive regions forming first, second, third and fourth rectifying junctions of which at least the first rectifying junction is spaced from said medial active zone of said transistor, the third and fifth regions of said current injector being of a first type conductivity, the second and fourth regions being of a second type conductivity opposite to that of the first,
• means for connecting the current injector's first region and second region continuously to a source of biasing potential so as to forward bias continuously the rectifyng junction therebetween causing the injection of charge carriers into the second region, collection of charge carriers by the third region which in turn causes carrier injection into the fourth region, and collection of charge carriers by the fifth region,
• means coupling the fifth region to the medial active zone of said transistor thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between the medial active zone and an adjacent active zone of said transistor to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said transistor's active zones,
• and means interconnecting other circuit elements of the body with said transistor for initiating or utilizing its current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of bipolar transistors adjacent a major surface thereof and each including outer zones and a first type conductivity medial active zone making rectifying contact with said outer zones and forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the transistors, said biasing means including at least one current injecting zone separate from the transistor active zones and an adjacent zone of second opposite type conductivity forming a rectifying junction with said current injecting zone, said current injecting zone being spaced from a medial active zone of at least one of the transistors by a separating intermediate body region of second opposite type conductivity, and means for forward biasing said rectifying junction causing the injection of charge carriers into said adjacent zone and collection of charge carriers by the medial active zone via a facing side thereof thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between said medial active zone and an adjacent active zone to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said one transistor's active zones,
• means for reducing carrier injection by the said medial active zone back into said separating region, said carrier injection reducing means comprising at least one zone located in said separating region and having a dopant concentration higher than that of the separating region and also higher than the dopant concentration of the said medial active zone and substantially completely circumscribing all sides of the medial active zone, exclusive of said facing side, which are transverse to said major surface, said medial active zone and said carrier injection reducing zone being located on the same side of and spaced from a common edge of said current injecting zone, with said carrier injection reducing zone extending closer to said common injecting zone edge than does said medial active zone,
• and means interconnecting other circuit elements of the body with said one transistor for initiating or utilizing its current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of vertical bipolar transistors adjacent an upper surface thereof and having a first type conductivity layer adjoining said upper surface, said transistors each including upper and lower outer active zones and a medial active zone of substantially uniformly doped first type conductivity separating said upper and lower outer zones and making rectifying contact therewith, layer segmenting means extending through the thickness of said first type conductivity layer so as to divide the layer into a plurality of laterally spaced, mutually isolated layer segments, said layer segmenting means including a peripherally circumscribing zone of material other than semiconductor material of said first type conductivity extending vertically from said upper surface to at least said lower outer zone, each of said layer segments constituting a separate one of said medial active zones, said active zones forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the transistors, said biasing means including at least one current injecting zone separate from the transistor active zones and being spaced from a medial active zone of at least one of the transistors by, and forming a rectifying P-N junction with, a separating intermediate body region of second opposite-type conductivity, and means for forward biasing the current injecting zone causing the injection of carriers into the separating region and collection of carriers by the medial active zone via a facing side thereof thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between the medial active zone and an adjacent active zone to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said one transistor's active zones,
• and means interconnecting other circuit elements of the body with said one transistor for initiating or utilizing its current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of vertical bipolar transistors adjacent an upper surface thereof and having a first type conductivity layer adjoining said upper surface, said transistors each including upper and lower outer active zones and a first type conductivity medial active zone separating said upper and lower outer zones and making rectifying contact therewith, layer segmenting means extending through the thickness of said first type conductivity layer so as to divide the layer into a plurality of laterally spaced, mutually isolated layer segments, said layer segmenting means including a peripherally circumscribing zone of second conductivity type, having a doping concentration greater than said layer segments, and extending vertically from said upper surface to at least said lower outer zone, each of said layer segments constituting a separate one of said medial active zones, said active zones forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the transistors, said biasing means including at least one current injecting zone separate from the transistor active zones and being spaced from a medial active zone of at least one of the transistors by, and forming a rectifying P-N junction with, a separating intermediate body region of second opposite-type conductivity, and means for forward biasing the current injecting zone causing the injection of carriers into the separating region and collection of carriers by the medial active zone via a facing side thereof thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between the medial active zone and an adjacent active zone to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said one transistor's active zones,
• and means interconnecting other circuit elements of the body with said one transistor for initiating or utilizing its current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of bipolar transistors adjacent a major surface thereof and each including outer zones and a first type conductivity medial zone making rectifying contact with said outer zones and forming at least three successive active zones through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through the transistors, said biasing means including at least one current injecting zone separate from and located vertically below the transistor active zones and forming a rectifying junction with a separating intermediate region of second conductivity type which separates said current injecting zone from the medial active zones of said transistors and means for forward biasing the current injecting zone providing for the injection of charge carriers into the separating intermediate region and collection of charge carriers by the medial active zones via a facing side thereof thereby tending to cause a rectifying junction between each of the medial active zones and an adjacent active zone to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said active zones of said transistors, said injecting zone constituting a substantially uniformly doped body layer portion adjoining a surface of the body opposite to said major surface,
• said separating intermediate region comprising a more heavily doped buried first region of the body extending between said current injecting layer and each of said transistor medial active zones and a less heavily doped second region underlying each of the said transistor medial zones and through which the majority of the injected carriers flow, said last-named first and second regions adjoining the said rectifying junction.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of circuit elements adjacent a major surface thereof and each including first and second semiconductive zones making a rectifying contact with each other and forming a region through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased, said first zone being of a first conductivity type,
• biasing means including at least one current injecting zone separate from the first and second zones and an adjacent zone of second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type forming a rectifying junction with said current injecting zone, said current injecting zone forming a grid at the surface of said semiconductor body so as to define a plurality of surface areas accommodating one or more of said circuit elements and being spaced from a first zone of at least one of the circuit elements by a separating intermediate body region of second conductivity type opposite to that of said first zone, and means for forward biasing said rectifying junction causing the injection of charge carriers into said adjacent zone and collection of charge carriers by the first zone via a facing side thereof thereby tending to cause said rectifying contact between said first and second zones to become forward biased tending to produce current flow through said region,
• and means interconnecting other circuit elements of the body with said one circuit element for initiating or utilizing its current flow.

A monolithic integrated circuit comprising:

• a common semiconductor body provided with a plurality of circuit elements adjacent a major surface thereof and each including a first surface zone of first conductivity type and a second surface zone making rectifying contact therewith, said first and second surface zones forming a region through which current can be caused to flow when appropriately biased,
• biasing means to cause current flow through said regions, said biasing means including at least one first conductivity type current injecting surface zone separate from the first and second zones and nested in and forming a rectifying junction with an adjacent second conductivity type surface zone, said adjacent second conductivity type surface zone extending from said major surface into a first surface zone of at least one of said circuit elements and having a higher dopant concentration than said first surface zone,
• means for connecting said one current injecting surface zone and said adjacent surface zone continuously to a source of biasing potential so as to forward bias continuously the rectifying junction therebetween causing the injection of charge carriers into said adjacent surface zone and causing collection of charge carriers by said first surface zone, thereby tending to produce current flow through the region of said one circuit element,
• and means interconnecting other circuit elements of the body with said one circuit element for initiating or utilizing its current flow.