Pie-Slice High Voltage Transistor for Scalable Breakdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high voltage semiconductor transistors face challenges in scaling down while maintaining high breakdown voltage and efficiency, as circular designs are inefficient and hard to control, requiring large sizes and complex control circuits.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a pie-slice shaped high breakdown voltage transistor with a shared drain region and separate gates and source regions, allowing for adjustable current output by selecting subsets of transistors to turn on, reducing the need for resistors and enabling scalability and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If circular transistor design is used to maintain high breakdown voltage, then breakdown voltage is improved, but device area and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the circular transistor structure into multiple discrete pie-slice transistors arranged radially around a central drain. Each pie-slice transistor is a separate controllable unit, allowing the overall device to achieve high breakdown voltage through the distributed structure while reducing total area compared to a single large circular transistor. The segmentation enables selective activation of individual slices to optimize area utilization.
2Strength
If circular transistor design is used to maintain high breakdown voltage, then breakdown voltage is improved, but device complexity and control difficulty deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the pie-slice transistors through individual gate electrodes, allowing real-time adjustment of which slices are active. This dynamic capability enables the control circuit to selectively engage only the necessary number of pie-slice transistors based on current requirements, simplifying control compared to a single large circular transistor while maintaining high breakdown voltage through the distributed architecture.
3Strength
If circular transistor design is used to maintain high breakdown voltage, then breakdown voltage is improved, but current efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transistor structure into multiple pie-slice units, each contributing to the overall current capability. This segmentation allows for more efficient current distribution and reduces the excessive current output characteristic of large circular transistors. The modular structure enables better matching of current output to actual circuit requirements, improving current efficiency while maintaining high breakdown voltage.
Data Source
AI summary
A high voltage semiconductor device, particularly a device including a number of high breakdown voltage transistors having a common drain, first well, and insulating structure between the gate and the drain as well as method for using the same is provided in this disclosure. The high breakdown voltage transistors in the device together are in an elliptical shape. A second well region, gate structure, and a source region are partially overlapping discontinuous elliptical rings having at least two discontinuities or openings in a top view. The respective discontinuities or openings define each of the high breakdown voltage transistors.