Title:
A SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENT FOR TRANSIENT VOLTAGE LIMITING
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO1992022927
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A semiconductor component (4) is provided which is suitable for limiting transient voltages on the supply lines of a system having at least three supply lines, one of the supply lines (252) being a current sink. The semiconductor component comprises at least three input means (251,252,253) for connection to respective ones of the supply lines, and a respective multi-junction diode (200,210,220) for each input means (251,252,253) having a threshold voltage at which it changes from a high-impedance state to a low-impedance state. Each multi-junction diode (200,210,220) is connected in the same sense between a respective one of said input means (251,252,253) and a common terminal (250), and is paired with a respective further diode connected in shunt with it and in the opposite sense to it. One pair (210) of the diodes, being said pair connected to said current sink, has current capacities substantially equal to the combined current capacities of the other pairs of diodes (200,220) and each of the diodes is a diode having a single PN junction. A doped region (202,212,222) of the semiconductor body is common to all the diode pairs.
Inventors:
BYATT STEPHEN WILTON (GB)
MAYTUM MICHAEL JOHN (GB)
MAYTUM MICHAEL JOHN (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB1992/001056
Publication Date:
February 04, 1993
Filing Date:
June 11, 1992
Export Citation:
Assignee:
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS LTD (GB)
International Classes:
H01L27/08; H01L29/74; H01L29/747; H01L29/866; H01L29/87; (IPC1-7): H01L29/74; H01L29/86
Foreign References:
| FR2433845A1 | 1980-03-14 | |||
| GB2208257A | 1989-03-15 | |||
| FR2253285A1 | 1975-06-27 | |||
| EP0143259A1 | 1985-06-05 |
Other References:
IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN. vol. 19, no. 6, November 1976, NEW YORK US pages 2292 - 2293 G.C. FETH AND M.G. SMITH 'INTEGRATED VERTICAL TRIAC SWITCHING STRUCTURE'
RCA TECHNICAL NOTES no. 1343, March 1984, PRINCETON US pages 1 - 6 JOHN MANNING SAVIDGE NEILSON AND RONALD ALBERT DUCLOS 'AVALANCHE DIODE STRUCTURE'
RCA TECHNICAL NOTES no. 1343, March 1984, PRINCETON US pages 1 - 6 JOHN MANNING SAVIDGE NEILSON AND RONALD ALBERT DUCLOS 'AVALANCHE DIODE STRUCTURE'
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