Patent ID: 8872192

Claim:
A rectifier circuit comprising: a rectifier element and a unipolar field-effect transistor connected in series between a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the rectifier element comprises a first electrode and a second electrode disposed in a direction of a forward current flowing from the first terminal to the second terminal, the field-effect transistor comprises: a gate electrode having a potential identical to a potential at the first electrode; and a source electrode and a drain electrode connected in series to the rectifier element and passing a current depending on the potential at the gate electrode, a breakdown voltage between the gate electrode and drain electrode of the field-effect transistor in a reverse bias mode, where a potential at the second terminal is higher than a potential at the first terminal, being higher than a breakdown voltage of the rectifier element, and in the rectifier element and the field-effect transistor, a first leakage current flowing through the rectifier element in the reverse bias mode being greater than a second leakage current flowing through the source electrode and drain electrode of the field-effect transistor when a voltage having a threshold value or less is applied between the gate electrode and source electrode of the field-effect transistor, and a relationship between the first leakage current and a voltage between the drain electrode and the source electrode falling within a safe operating area of the field-effect transistor.