# US 5,345,094 A · Light triggered triac device and method of driving the same

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- Number: US 5,345,094 A
- Document ID: US5345094A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/086,300
- Filed: 1993-07-06
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1992-07-06
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Inventors: Yasunori Usui; Shinjiro Yano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5345094A

## CPC

- H10D 18/80: Bidirectional devices, e.g. triacs
- H10D 18/221: {having amplifying gate structures, e.g. cascade configurations}
- H10D 18/251: {Lateral thyristors}
- H10F 30/245: {Bipolar phototransistors}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION

## Abstract

Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising an output Triode AC switch with a vertical structure, which is provided in a silicon substrate and has a gate, a first output terminal and a second output terminal, and an input/driving photo Triode AC switch, which is provided in the substrate and has a light-receiving portion, a first terminal connected to the gate and a second terminal connected to the second output terminal. The output Triode AC switch with a vertical structure is turned on when light is input to the photo Triode AC switch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
an output Triode AC switch provided in said substrate, said output Triode AC switch having a gate, a first terminal and a second terminal, and having a vertical structure; and
an input/driving Triode AC switch provided in said substrate and having a light-receiving portion, a third terminal connected to said gate of said output Triode AC switch and a fourth terminal connected to said first terminal of said output Triode AC switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, where said substrate includes:
a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type having first and second major surfaces;
a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided in said first major surface region of said first semiconductor layer;
a first semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said second semiconductor layer in contact with said first semiconductor layer; and
a first electrode provided in contact with said first semiconductor region;
said output Triode AC switch includes:
said first semiconductor layer;
said second semiconductor layer;
a second semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in a surface region of said second semiconductor layer;
a third semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in a surface region of said second semiconductor region;
a fourth semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in said surface region of said second semiconductor region;
a fifth semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in said second major surface region of said first semiconductor layer;
a second electrode provided in contact with said second semiconductor region and said third semiconductor region, said second electrode serving as said second terminal;
a third electrode provided in contact with said second semiconductor region and said fourth semiconductor region, said third electrode serving as said gate; and
a fourth electrode provided in contact with said first semiconductor layer and said fifth semiconductor region, said third electrode serving as said first terminal;
said input/driving Triode AC switch includes:
said second semiconductor layer;
a sixth semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said surface region said second semiconductor layer;
a seventh semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said surface region of said second semiconductor layer;
an eighth semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said surface region of said second semiconductor layer;
a ninth semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said surface region of said second semiconductor layer;
a tenth semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in a surface region of said sixth semiconductor region;
an eleventh semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in a surface region of said seventh semiconductor region;
a fifth electrode provided in contact with said tenth semiconductor region, said fifth electrode being electrically connected to said first electrode;
a sixth electrode provided in contact with said eleventh semiconductor region, said sixth electrode being electrically connected to said third electrode;
a seventh electrode provided in contact with said eighth semiconductor region, said seventh electrode being electrically connected via a first resistor to said fifth electrode; and
an eighth electrode provided in contact with said ninth semiconductor region, said eighth electrode being electrically connected via a second resistor to said sixth electrode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, where said substrate includes:
a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type having first and second major surfaces;
a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided in said first major surface region of said first semiconductor layer;
a first semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said second semiconductor layer in contact with said first semiconductor layer; and
a first electrode provided in contact with said first semiconductor region;
said output Triode AC switch includes:
said first semiconductor layer;
said second semiconductor layer;
a second semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in a surface region of said second semiconductor layer;
a third semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in a surface region of said second semiconductor region;
a fourth semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in said surface region of said second semiconductor region;
a fifth semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in said second major surface region of said first semiconductor layer;
a second electrode provided in contact with said second semiconductor region and said third semiconductor region, said second electrode serving as said second terminal;
a third electrode provided in contact with said second semiconductor region and said fourth semiconductor region, said third electrode serving as said gate; and
a fourth electrode provided in contact with said first semiconductor layer and said fifth semiconductor region, said third electrode serving as said first terminal;
said input/driving Triode AC switch includes:
said first semiconductor layer;
said second semiconductor layer;
a sixth semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said surface region of said second semiconductor layer;
a seventh semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said surface region of said second semiconductor layer;
an eighth semiconductor region of said first conductivity type provided in said surface region of said second semiconductor layer;
a ninth semiconductor layer of said second conductivity type provided in a surface region of said sixth semiconductor region;
a tenth semiconductor region of said second conductivity type provided in a surface region of said seventh semiconductor region;
a fifth electrode provided in contact with said ninth semiconductor region, said fifth electrode being electrically connected to said first electrode;
a sixth electrode provided in contact with said tenth semiconductor region, said sixth electrode being electrically connected to said third electrode; and
a seventh electrode provided in contact with said eight semiconductor region, said seventh electrode being electrically connected via a resistor to said sixth electrode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

A semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said input/driving Triode AC switch is triggered by light received at one of a junction between said second semiconductor layer and said sixth semiconductor region and a junction between said second semiconductor layer and said seventh semiconductor region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said input/driving Triode AC switch is triggered by light received at one of a junction between said second semiconductor layer and said sixth semiconductor layer and a junction between said second semiconductor layer and said seventh semiconductor region.

### Claim 6

A semiconductor device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a top surface and a back surface;
a first Triode AC switch provided in said substrate, said first Triode AC switch having a first terminal provided on said top surface of said substrate, a gate provided on said top surface of said substrate and a second terminal provided on said back surface of said substrate; and
a second Triode AC switch provided in said substrate, and having a third terminal provided on said top surface of said substrate connected to said gate and a fourth terminal provided on said top surface of said substrate connected to said second output terminal, said second Triode AC switch being triggered by received light.

### Claim 7

A method of driving a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, an output Triode AC switch with a vertical structure, provided in said substrate and having a gate, a first terminal and a second terminal, and an input/driving Triode AC switch provided in said substrate and having a light-receiving portion, a third terminal connected to said gate of said output Triode AC switch and a fourth terminal connected to said first terminal thereof, said method comprising the steps of:
applying an AC voltage between said first and second terminal of said output Triode AC switch; and
irradiating light onto said light-receiving portion of said input/driving Triode AC switch.