Patent ID: 6091107
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A semiconductor trench device, comprising: an active region having at least one trench extending from a first surface thereof with at least one p-n junction across which current flow is controllable by a field effect gate electrode disposed at a wall region of said at least one trench, said gate electrode being operative to produce an inversion layer in a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, at least a bottom portion of said at least one trench remote from said first surface being positioned in said first semiconductor region, said first region being adjacent a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, said second region being located between said first region and an anode region which is of said first conductivity type, said gate electrode being operative, in use, to cause said inversion layer to initiate carrier injection into said first and second regions, thereby producing a thyristor action in which the inversion layer, while it is present, acts as an emitter thereof.