CASCODE CONFIGURED SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENT

摘要

In accordance with an embodiment, semiconductor component includes a compound semiconductor material based semiconductor device coupled to a silicon based semiconductor device and a protection element, wherein the silicon based semiconductor device is a transistor. The protection element is coupled in parallel across the silicon based semiconductor device and may be a resistor, a diode, or a transistor. In accordance with another embodiment, the silicon based semiconductor device is a diode. The compound semiconductor material may be shorted to a source of potential such as, for example, ground, with a shorting element.

主权项

1. A semiconductor component having at least first and second terminals, comprising:
a first semiconductor device having first and second current carrying terminals, the first semiconductor device configured from a silicon based material; a second semiconductor device having a control terminal, first and second current carrying terminals, and a body terminal, the second semiconductor device configured from a III-N semiconductor material, the first current carrying terminal of the first semiconductor device coupled to the second current carrying terminal of the second semiconductor device, the control terminal of the second semiconductor device coupled to the second current carrying terminal of the first semiconductor device, and the body terminal of the second semiconductor device connected to the second current carrying terminal of the first semiconductor device; and a protection element having first and second terminals, the first terminal of the protection element coupled to the first current carrying terminal of the first semiconductor device and to the second current carrying terminal of the second semiconductor device.