Ferroelectric FET Circuit Interruption Without Accidental Reset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor devices lack efficient mechanisms for high-speed current interruption and protection of electronic circuits from abnormalities such as overcurrent, short circuits, and voltage fluctuations, often relying on slower mechanisms like fuses or poly-switches.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device integrating a field effect transistor with a nonvolatile memory structure, utilizing a ferroelectric film to control the channel's conduction and interruption, allowing for rapid and controlled current interruption by altering the electric field direction, and maintaining interruption without accidental restoration until the circuit is confirmed normal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional protection mechanisms like fuses or poly-switches are used, then circuit protection is provided, but the interruption speed is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a field effect transistor with a nonvolatile memory structure into a single integrated device. The memory structure controls the transistor's conduction state, enabling high-speed circuit interruption while maintaining reliable protection through the nonvolatile memory's ability to maintain its state without power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical or thermal protection mechanisms (fuses, poly-switches) with an electrically controlled field effect transistor. This substitution enables much faster interruption speeds while maintaining protection reliability through the transistor's controlled conduction and interruption capabilities.
2Reliability
If conventional protection mechanisms are used, then circuit protection is achieved, but accidental restoration cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The nonvolatile memory structure is configured to maintain its written state without power, ensuring that once the transistor is turned off to interrupt current, it remains off until deliberately reset. This preliminary action of writing the interruption state to nonvolatile memory prevents accidental restoration and ensures stable protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a control mechanism where the memory structure's state provides feedback to maintain the transistor's conduction or interruption state. This feedback mechanism ensures that the interruption state is maintained reliably and prevents accidental restoration by requiring a deliberate reset action.
3Speed
If a field effect transistor with nonvolatile memory is used, then high-speed interruption is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the field effect transistor and nonvolatile memory structure into a single integrated device, reducing the overall system complexity compared to using separate protection components. This integration achieves high-speed interruption while minimizing the increase in device complexity through shared structural elements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables high-speed interruption of electronic circuits and prevents accidental restoration, effectively protecting against abnormalities like overcurrent and short circuits, while maintaining efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a ferroelectric film to control the channel's conduction and interruption, allowing for rapid and controlled current interruption by altering the electric field direction
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a semiconductor device including a field effect transistor that has a first terminal connected to a load, a second terminal conducting to the first terminal via a channel, and a control terminal that controls conduction and interruption of the channel by an electric field, and a nonvolatile memory that is a nonvolatile memory connected to the control terminal and has a second control terminal supplied with a voltage that changes a direction of the electric field from the control terminal.