Light-triggerable thyristor having low light power requirement and high critical voltage rise rate

摘要

A thyristor comprises a semiconductor body containing a n emitter contacted by a cathode electrode and an adjacent p base, with a p emitter contacted by an anode electrode and an adjacent n base. The thyristor comprises a projection of the p base which extends up to the cathode boundary surface of the semiconductor body and likewise comprises a projection of the n base extending up to the boundary surface and which is adjacent to the first-mentioned projection. A gate electrode is carried insulated on the boundary surface covering the projection of the p base and serves to control the thyristor. Triggerability of the thyristor by a low light power and the attainment of a high critical voltage rise rate dU/dt relative to an inhibit voltage U is achieved by an illuminatable, light-sensitive resistor for ignition which is connected between the gate electrode and the projection of the n base and a further resistor which is connected between the gate electrode and the cathode electrode. The invention finds particular use in power semiconductors.