Bidirectional two-base bipolar junction transistor operation, circuits, and systems with double base short at initial turn-off

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9374085-B2
Application number	US-201514934062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Jun 24, 2013
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for switching a power bipolar semiconductor device which includes both first-conductivity-type emitter/collector regions and also second-conductivity-type base contact regions on both opposed surfaces of a semiconductor die, and which has an ON state and an OFF state, comprising the actions of:
beginning turn-off by temporarily connecting the base contact and emitter/collector regions on the first surface together, while separately connecting the base contact and emitter/collector regions on the second surface together, without connecting the base contact region on the first surface to the base contact region on the second surface, except through the semiconductor die itself; and then
floating one, but not both, of the base contact regions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor die is silicon.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, during the ON state, applying base current to one of the base contact regions.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said step of applying base current supplies base current to the base contact region.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of applying base current draws current from the base contact region.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising, in the ON state, conducting current as a diode, before the step of applying base current.

Assignees

• Ideal Power Inc

Inventors

• Alexander William C
• Blanchard Richard A

Classifications

• H10D12/441

  Vertical IGBTs · CPC title

• H10D10/861

  having an emitter region comprising one or more non-monocrystalline elements of Group IV, e.g. amorphous silicon · CPC title

• H10D10/40

  Vertical BJTs {(Vertical Heterojunction BJTs H10D10/821)} · CPC title

• H10D62/137

  Collector regions of BJTs · CPC title

• H10D62/136

  of heterojunction BJTs  (vertical heterojunction BJTs having one or more non-monocrystalline Group IV elements H10D10/861) · CPC title