Semiconductor circuit, inverter circuit, semiconductor apparatus, and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The semiconductor circuit includes a voltage-controlled semiconductor device (N)N, the resistance value of which is controllable with a high voltage, the drain terminal of the N can be connected to the gate terminal (control terminal) of an output semiconductor device (N) via a resistor (R) or to a last output stage of the driver circuit, the source terminal of the N is connected to the emitter terminal of the N, and the gate terminal of the N is connected to the collector terminal, which is the output terminal, of the N. When the input terminal of the semiconductor circuit is at the Hi-level, the NOFF. By connecting the output terminal of the Nto the high-potential-side of a high-voltage circuit disposed separately and the negative electrode of a control power supply (VDD) to the low-potential-side of the high-voltage circuit in the state, in which the Nis OFF, a desired high voltage is applied between the collector and emitter of the N. Since a p-channel MOSFET (P) is turned ON as the input terminal potential is changed over to the Lo-level and the high voltage is still being applied to the output terminal of the N, the N is turned ON and the Nis brought into the ON-state, in which the current driving ability of the Nis low. The semiconductor circuit can protect the devices from an over voltage with a simple circuit configuration.