The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 08, 1994
Filed:
Jul. 20, 1993
Paul A Gough, Smallfield, GB;
U.S. Philips Corporation, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A semiconductor component is formed by an insulated gate field effect device having a semiconductor body with a first region of one conductivity type adjacent one major surface, a second region defining a conduction channel area separating a third region from the first region, an insulated gate adjoining the conduction channel area for controlling current flow between the first and third regions and an injection region for injecting opposite conductivity type charge carriers into the first region, and a protection device for limiting the current through the insulated gate field effect device. The protection device is formed by a fourth region of the opposite conductivity type formed within the first region, a fifth region separated from the first region by the fourth region, a first conductive path connecting the fifth region to the insulated gate for allowing the flow of one conductivity type charge carriers towards the insulated gate and a second conductive path connected to the fourth region. An area of the fourth region beneath the fifth region provides a route for opposite conductivity type charge carriers to the second conductive path for causing, when the current through the insulated gate field effect device exceeds a predetermined limit, the pn junction between the fourth and first region to become forward biassed thereby causing the voltage at the insulated gate to alter so as to limit the current through the insulated gate field effect device.