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AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorsKeith M. Hutchings, Andrew L. Goodyear, Paul A. Gough
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A semiconductor component (1a) has first and second insulated gate field effect devices (T1 and T2) formed within the same seminconductor body (2). The devices (T1 and T2) have a common first main electrode (D) and an arrangement (20) provides a resistive connection (20b) between a second main electrode (S2)of the second device (T2) and the insulated gate (G1) of the first device (T1). The second device (T2) is formed so as to be more susceptible than the first device (T1) to parasitic bipolar transistor action for causing, when the first and second devices (T1 and T2) are turned off and a voltage exceeding a critical voltage (V.sub.c) is applied to the common first main electrode (D), the parasitic bipolar transistor (B) within the second device (T2) to turn on producing a current for causing, by virtue of the resistive connection (20b) between the second main electrode (S2) of the second device (T2) and the insulated gate (G1) of the first device (T1), the voltage at the insulated gage (G1) of the first device (T1) to alter to cause the device (T1) to turn on. This allows the energy of the overvoltage to be dissipated by conduction of the first insulated gate field effect device to avoid any potentially damaging effects, such as irreversible bipolar breakdown or performance degradation due to hot carrier injection into the gate oxide.
A semiconductor component comprising first and second insulated gate field effect devices formed within the same semiconductor body, the first and second insulated gate field effect devices having a common first main electrode and means for providing a resistive connection between a second main electrode of the second insulated gate field effect device and the insulated gate of the first insulated gate field effect device, the second insulated gate field effect device comprising means for being susceptible than the first insulated gate field effect device to parasitic bipolar transistor action for causing, when the first and second insulated gate field effect devices are turned off and a voltage exceeding a critical voltage is applied to the common first main electrode, the parasitic bipolar transistor within the second insulated gate field effect device to turn on producing a current for causing, by virtue of the resistive connection between the second main electrode of the second insulated gate field effect device and the insulated gate of the first insulated gate field effect device, the voltage at the insulated gate of the first insulated gate field effect device to alter to cause the first insulated gate field effect device to turn on.
A semiconductor component comprising a semiconductor body providing a first insulated gate field effect device having a first region of one conductivity type providing a conductive path to a first main electrode, a second region of the one conductivity type, a third region of the opposite conductivity type separating the first and second regions and defining therebetween a first conduction channel region, a first insulated gate adjoining the first conduction channel region for controlling conduction through the first conduction channel region between the first and second regions and a second main electrode connected to the second region and shorting the second region to the third region remote from the first conduction channel region and a second insulated gate field effect device comprising a fourth region of one conductivity type, means providing a resistive connection between the fourth region and the first insulated gate, a fifth region of the opposite conductivity type separating the fourth and first regions and defining therebetween a second conduction channel region, a second insulated gate adjoining the second conduction channel region and a fourth electrode connected to the fifth region for providing a conductive path for charge carriers of the opposite conductivity type through the fifth region bypassing the fourth region, the resistance of the conductive path through the fifth region being such that when the first and second insulated gate field effect devices are turned off and a voltage exceeding a critical voltage is applied to the first main electrode, the flow of opposite conductivity type charge carriers along the conductive path through the fifth region causes the parasitic bipolar transistor formed by the fourth, fifth and first regions to turn on, producing a current for causing, by virtue of the resistive connection between the second main electrode of the second insulated gate field effect device and the insulated gate of the first insulated gate field effect device, the voltage at the insulated gate of the first field effect device to alter to cause the first insulated gate field effect device to turn on.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.