GB2030796A - Thyristor circuit - Google Patents
Thyristor circuit Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2030796A GB2030796A GB7920106A GB7920106A GB2030796A GB 2030796 A GB2030796 A GB 2030796A GB 7920106 A GB7920106 A GB 7920106A GB 7920106 A GB7920106 A GB 7920106A GB 2030796 A GB2030796 A GB 2030796A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- thyristor
- electrode
- gate
- diode
- circuit
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
- H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
- H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
- H03K17/51—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the components used
- H03K17/56—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the components used by the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices
- H03K17/72—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the components used by the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices having more than two PN junctions; having more than three electrodes; having more than one electrode connected to the same conductivity region
- H03K17/73—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the components used by the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices having more than two PN junctions; having more than three electrodes; having more than one electrode connected to the same conductivity region for DC voltages or currents
- H03K17/732—Measures for enabling turn-off
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10D—INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10D18/00—Thyristors
- H10D18/60—Gate-turn-off devices
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10D—INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10D62/00—Semiconductor bodies, or regions thereof, of devices having potential barriers
- H10D62/10—Shapes, relative sizes or dispositions of the regions of the semiconductor bodies; Shapes of the semiconductor bodies
- H10D62/13—Semiconductor regions connected to electrodes carrying current to be rectified, amplified or switched, e.g. source or drain regions
- H10D62/141—Anode or cathode regions of thyristors; Collector or emitter regions of gated bipolar-mode devices, e.g. of IGBTs
- H10D62/142—Anode regions of thyristors or collector regions of gated bipolar-mode devices
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- H10W20/40—
-
- H10W42/00—
Landscapes
- Thyristors (AREA)
- Thyristor Switches And Gates (AREA)
Abstract
A thyristor circuit having high turn-off gain includes a gate turn off thyristor (30) having an anode electrode (29), a cathode electrode (28) and a gate electrode (27), and a diode (31) connected between the cathode electrode (28) and the gate electrode (27) so that current in the diode flows from the cathode to the gate electrode. The gate turn off thyristor of the thyristor circuit has a shorted emitter structure (26) in the anode (29) side thereof. The thyristor and the diode may be formed as a monolithic structure. Such a thyristor circuit may be used, for example, in the horizontal scanning circuit of a television set. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Thyristor circuit
This invention relates to a thyristor circuit having a turn on function and a turn off function.
A gate turn off thyristor is turned on when a signal of the positive voltage is applied to a gate electrode thereof, and is turned off when a signal of the negative voltage is applied to a gate electrode thereof. The gate turn off thyristor is often used in chopper circuits, inverter circuits, etc. In such thyristor circuits, to avoid draining current in the reverse direction, a reverse conducting gate turn off thyristor comprising the gate turn off thyristor and a diode connected thereto in parallel but in the reverse direction is usually employed. The breakdown voltage of the diode connected between an anode of the gate turn off thyristor and a cathode thereof, needs to be equal to or larger than that of the gate turn off thyristor. When the gate turn off thyristor is applied to a horizontal scanning circuit of TV set, the diode needs to withstand the voltage of about 1500 V.A diode with such high breakdown voltage is expensive.
An object of this invention is to provide a thyristor circuit having a high gain characteristic.
In accordance with the present invention a thyristor circuit includes a gate turn off thyristor having an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and a gate electrode, the gate turn off thyristor having a shortened emitter structure, in an anode side thereof, and a rectification circuit connected between the cathode electrode and the gate electrode so that current into the rectification circuit flows from the cathode electrode of the gate turn off thyristor to the gate electrode.
Preferably the rectification circuit comprises a diode or a plurality of diodes connected in series with or without a resistor in series with the or each diode.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a prior art reverse conductive gate turn off thyristor;
Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of a thyristor circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a thyristor circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 4 is a thyristor circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 5 is a thyristor circuit according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
A A known monolithic reverse conducting gate turn off thyristor comprising a gate turn off thyristor and a diode incorporated in it is shown in Fig. 1 where a P type base region
12 with an N type emitter region 13 formed in it is superposed on one surface of an N type base region 11. On the other surface of the N type base region 11, a P type emitter region 14 and an N + type region 15 with high impurity concentration are superposed. A gate electrode 16 is formed on the surface of the P type base region 12, and a cathode electrode 17 is formed so as to be in contact with the N type emitter region 13 and the P type base region 12. An anode electrode 18 is formed to be contact with the P type emitter region 14 and the N+ type region 15.
The reverse conducting gate turn off thyristor shown in Fig. 1 comprises the gate turn off thyristor section comprising the P type emitter region 14, the N type base region 11, the P type base region 12 and the N type emitter region 13, and the diode section comprising the N + type region 15, the N type base region 11 and the P type base region 12, wherein the diode section is incorporated in the gate turn off thyristor section.
In this structure, as the gate electrode 16 is connected to the cathode electrode 17 through P type base region having a relatively low impedance, the current for turning off the reverse conducting gate turn off thyristor appears to increase. In the result, the gain of the gate turn off thyristor tends to decrease.
The thyristor circuit shown in Fig. 2 comprises a gate turn off thyristor 30 and a diode 31 connected thereto is shown. A P type base region 22 of the impurity concentration about 1016 cm-3 is superposed on an N type base region 21 of impurity concentration less than 1014 cm-3. An N type emitter region 23 of impurity concentration about 1021 cm-3 is formed in the surface of the P type base region 22. On the other surface of the N type base region 21, is a shorted emitter region 26 in which plural N+ type regions 25 are so formed in a P type emitter region 24 as to short between the N type base region 21 and an anode electrode 29. That is to say, the shorted emitter structure is formed in an anode side of the gate turn off thyristor. Accordingly plural N+ type regions 25 being of high impurity concentration and a P type emitter region 24 are placed side by side as shown in
Fig. 2.
A A gate electrode 27 and a cathode electrode 28 are respectively formed to be in contact with the N type emitter region 23, and the P base region 22. The anode electrode 29 is formed to be in contact with both the P type emitter regions 24 and the N+ type region 25. The device described in the above is a thyristor 30 having a PNPN structure. The gate turn off thyristor 30 has a turn on function and a turn off function. A diode
31 is connected to the gate electrode 27 of the gate turn off thyristor and to the cathode
28 thereof. The thyristor circuit diagram of the present invention is shown in Fig. 3.
The action of the thyristor circuit will now
be described. First, in turning on the thyristor 30 of the thyristor circuit of Fig. 2, a voltage is applied to the anode electrode 29, and to the cathode electrode 28 so that the anode electrode 29 becomes positive and then the signal of a positive voltage is applied to the gate electrode 27. After the thyristor 30 is turned on, anode current flows from the anode electrode 29 to the cathode electrode 28 through the P type emitter region 24, the N type base region 21, the P type base region 22 and the N type emitter region 23. In turning off the thyristor 30, the reverse voltage is applied to the cathode electrode 28 and to the anode electrode 29 so that the anode electrode 28 becomes negative.When the anode current does not flow between the anode electrode 29 and the cathode electrode 28, and the signal of negative voltage is applied to the gate electrode 27, a PN junction between the P type base region 22 connected to the gate electrode 27 and the N type emitter region 23 connected to the cathode electrode 28 is biased reversely. Accordingly the anode current between the cathode electrode 28 and the gate electrode 27 does not flow to the PN junction, but flows into the diode 31.
However, when the anode current flows in the gate turn off thyristor, the reverse impedance value of the PH junction between the P type base region 22 and the N type emitter region 23 is equal to or less than the impedance value of the diode forward current direction of the diode 31 connected to the gate electrode 27 and the cathode electrode 28. Therefore, when the signal of the negative voltage is applied to the gate electrode 27, the gate reverse current flows from the cathode electrode 28 to the gate electrode 27 through the PN junction between the P type base region 22 and the N type emitter region 23, and then the gate turn off thyristor 30 is turned off. Therefore, as most of the gate reverse current contributes to the turning off function, the turn off gain of the circuit is comparatively high.
After this, in turn, the voltage that makes the anode electrode 29 negative, is applied to the gate turn off thyristor 30. Since the PN junction between the N type emitter 23 and the P type base region 22 has high impedance at this time, the current flows from the cathode electrode 28 to the anode electrode 29 through the diode 31, the gate electrode 27, the P base region 22, the N type base region 21 and N+ type region 25. Thus the circuit of the present invention acts in the same manner as the reverse conducting gate turn off thyristor. Further the reverse breakdown voltage of the diode 31 may be comparatively small because the reverse breakdown voltage of the diode 31 may be at least more than the voltage in the diode forward current direction between the gate electrode of the gate turn off thyristor and the cathode electrode thereof.Therefore an inexpensive diode having low breakdown voltage can be used in the thyristor circuit.
Further, plural diodes may be used in the thyristor circuit instead of one diode. In Fig.
4, two diodes 32, 33 in series are connected between the gate electrode 27 of the gate turn off thyristor 30 and the cathode electrode 28 thereof. In this case, as the rectification circuit of two diodes is inserted between the cathode electrode of the gate turn off thyristor and the gate electrode, the gate reverse current flows more in the gate turn off thyristor than in the rectification circuit. Therefore, a thyristor circuit having high turn off gain is simply obtained.
Furthermore, in order to change the impedance of the rectification circuit, the rectification circuit comprising a diode 34 and a resistor 35 may be applied to the thyristor circuit shown in Fig. 5. This circuit is useful, for the designer can easily change the impedance by inserting one or more resistors when the impedance in the diode forward current direction of the diode has an adverse effect on the turn off gain of the thyristor. A thyristor circuit with a resistor having high turn off gain is simply obtained as well as a thyristor with a rectification circuit.
In each case, the circuit comprising the thyristor and a rectification circuit connected to the cathode electrode of the thyristor and the gate electrode thereof may be incorporated in a monolithic structure.
Claims (7)
1. A thyristor circuit comprising a gate turn off thyristor having an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and a gate electrode, said gate turn off thyristor having a shorted emitter structure, in an anode side thereof, and a rectification circuit connected between said cathode electrode and said gate electrode so that current into said rectification circuit flows from said cathode electrode to said gate electrode.
2. A thyristor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said rectification circuit comprises a diode.
3. A thyristor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said rectification circuit comprises a plurality of diodes connected in series.
4. A thyristor circuit according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said rectification circuit comprises a resistor connected in series with the, or each diode.
5. A thyristor circuit according to any preceding claim and in which the thyristor and the, or each diode are formed as a monolithic structure.
6. A thyristor circuit substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
7. A thyristor circuit according to claim 6 but modified in accordance with Fig. 4 or 5 o' the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP8897978A JPS5516541A (en) | 1978-07-21 | 1978-07-21 | Reverse-conducting gate turn-off thyristor circuit |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2030796A true GB2030796A (en) | 1980-04-10 |
| GB2030796B GB2030796B (en) | 1983-01-19 |
Family
ID=13957911
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7920106A Expired GB2030796B (en) | 1978-07-21 | 1979-06-08 | Thyristor circuit |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS5516541A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2927709C2 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2030796B (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0200863A1 (en) * | 1985-03-20 | 1986-12-17 | BBC Brown Boveri AG | Semiconductor device with structures of thyristors and diodes |
| EP0337193A1 (en) * | 1988-04-11 | 1989-10-18 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Protection circuit for a gate turn off thyristor |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE4218398A1 (en) * | 1992-06-04 | 1993-12-09 | Asea Brown Boveri | High current pulse thyristor with two opposite semiconductor main faces - has GTO structure with highly doped emitter distributed over first face in form of narrow cathode fingers |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5019437B1 (en) * | 1970-06-08 | 1975-07-07 |
-
1978
- 1978-07-21 JP JP8897978A patent/JPS5516541A/en active Granted
-
1979
- 1979-06-08 GB GB7920106A patent/GB2030796B/en not_active Expired
- 1979-07-09 DE DE2927709A patent/DE2927709C2/en not_active Expired
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0200863A1 (en) * | 1985-03-20 | 1986-12-17 | BBC Brown Boveri AG | Semiconductor device with structures of thyristors and diodes |
| CH668505A5 (en) * | 1985-03-20 | 1988-12-30 | Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie | SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENT. |
| EP0337193A1 (en) * | 1988-04-11 | 1989-10-18 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Protection circuit for a gate turn off thyristor |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE2927709C2 (en) | 1984-04-05 |
| GB2030796B (en) | 1983-01-19 |
| JPS5516541A (en) | 1980-02-05 |
| JPS6122867B2 (en) | 1986-06-03 |
| DE2927709A1 (en) | 1980-02-07 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19960608 |