摘要:
Germanium semiconductor temperature switches are described which are capable of intrinsically switching between high and low resistance states within a temperature range up to 55.degree.C, and are adapted for operating at voltages up to 400 volts. These temperature switches are disclosed in various configurations. Basic circuits for adjusting the temperatures at which such switches switch within a range are disclosed. Preferred methods of making the same are also disclosed.
摘要:
Various circuits and combinations of radiant energy responsive transducer means such as photovoltaic diodes connected to the gate of a depletion mode FET whose source and drain are connected to the gate and cathode of a thyristor, are disclosed to provide a semiconductor switch which is triggered into conduction solely by a small amount of radiant energy, without the need for a second triggering energy source, and which also affords immunity to unwanted dv/dt and temperature induced turn-on. Various modes of operation are disclosed, including the thyristor self-triggering into conduction, and/or being of the light-activated type itself and being directly triggered by impinging light, and/or being triggered by the light-responsive diode bias, and/or being triggered by a small bias supplied from a second set of photovoltaic diodes connected to the thyristor gate. Other combinations are disclosed providing zero-cross firing.
摘要:
A diode is integrated on a common substrate with a thyristor to form a parasitic transistor in the gate circuit of the thyristor for amplifying gate current thereto. In addition, gate sensitivity is further enhanced by this formation because the injection efficiency across the thyristor anode-base junction is increased, thus reducing the amount of gate current necessary to trigger the thyristor. The diode cathode, diode anode and substrate form an emitter, base and collector, respectively, of the parasitic transistor. The junction formed by the substrate and the thyristor anode region is forward biased and supplies collector current for the parasitic transistor, this junction being inactive with respect to the junction formed by the substrate and the diode anode region. Thus gate current flowing through the diode to the gate of the thyristor is increased by the additional collector current afforded by the parasitic transistor. This parasitic transistor formation enables the use of a shorted-emitter thyristor while also achieving a high degree of gate sensitivity without the usual drawbacks of temperature and dv/dt sensitivity associated with a nonshorted-emitter high gate sensitivity thyristor.
摘要:
A power thyristor is provided with a pair of antiseries back to back diode junctions forming an open base transistor thermally coupled to the thyristor and electrically connected between the thyristor gate and cathode. The diode junctions shunt gate current above a given sensed temperature of the power thyristor, for protecting the latter by preventing turn-on thereof. The diode junctions have nonsymmetrical leakage current characteristics to insure protective shunting of forward gate drive in one direction but blocking leakage in the other direction to prevent draining a reverse charged phasing capacitor. The latter is thus charged beginning from the same starting reference point in each cycle whereby to insure accurate phase control in an AC gating system.
摘要:
An external resistance is presented between the gate and cathode of a thermally sensitive thyristor which varies in accordance with a changing voltage applied across the thyristor. The changing voltage sweeps the varying external resistance through its operating range which in turn expands the region of temperature sensitivity with respect to breakover voltage by sweeping the shifting curves of switching temperature vs. gate to cathode resistance for the thyristor. In preferred form, a field effect transistor (FET) (10) is connected between the gate (8) and cathode (4) of the thermally sensitive thyristor (6) and is biased by the same voltage supply applied across the thyristor. The FET presents an external gate to cathode resistance which varies in accordance with the changing bias level on the FET, which is the same changing bias applied across the thyristor. The range of variance of this added external resistance must be between 10,000 ohms and 1 megohm. The breakover voltage of the thyristor can be made to vary slowly with respect to temperature, rather than exhibiting sharp drop in a narrow critical temperature region.
摘要:
A temperature sensitive thyristor is incorporated in a relaxation oscillator to provide active temperature sensing. As temperature decreases, the breakover voltage V.sub.BO of the thyristor increases, and when V.sub.BO becomes greater than the supply voltage, oscillations will cease, thus providing a low temperature alarm point. As temperature increases, V.sub.BO decreases and the amplitude of oscillation diminishes, thus providing a high temperature alarm point. This is a "fail-safe" arrangement because component failure also provides a warning condition (absence of oscillation). Frequency of oscillation may also be sensed as an indication of temperature.
摘要:
A monolithic semiconductor device is disclosed comprising a power switching thyristor and a temperature sensitive thyristor integrated on a common substrate. In preferred form, the temperature sensitive thyristor is electrically connected between the gate terminal and one of the main terminals of the power switching thyristor, and is thermally actuatable to intrinsically switch from a high to a low resistance state above a predetermined temperature of the power switching thyristor sensed through the common substrate, whereby to shunt gate current and automatically inhibit turn-on of the power switching thyristor to prevent overheating thereof. Depending on circuit variations, the power switching thyristor may be rendered conductive above or below a predetermined temperature, or within a defined temperature range. Normally off and normally on devices are disclosed.
摘要:
Thermally sensitive silicon thyristors capable of intrinsically switching between high and low resistance states in response to a predetermined temperature in the range -30.degree. C to +150.degree. C; this intrinsic switching temperature being not only lower than heretofore achieved but also predictably determinable. The two terminal breakover voltage is nominally equal to one-half Vmax at a temperature less than 50.degree. C, where Vmax is the maximum value of the two terminal breakover voltage of the thyristor with respect to temperature.
摘要:
A semiconductor device is disclosed comprising a temperature sensitive thyristor thermally coupled to a power switching thyristor and electrically connected in parallel with the gate of the latter. The temperature sensitive thyristor senses the temperature of the power switching thyristor and automatically responds thereto above a predetermined temperature by shunting the gate current to prevent overheating of the power switching thyristor. The device may additionally include a second temperature sensitive thyristor having a lower switching temperature than the first mentioned thyristor and connected in series with the gate of the power switching thyristor whereby the latter may be triggered into conduction only within a defined temperature range bounded by the switching temperatures of the temperature sensitive thyristors. Normally off and normally on devices are also disclosed.
摘要:
A transducer is disclosed which provides a digital indication of a sensed analog condition without the need of an analog to digital (A/D) converter or a comparator. A condition responsive element having a true abrupt switching characteristic at a known breakover voltage as a function of a condition being sensed is biased by a voltage source preferably supplying a periodic voltage as a known function of time. The point during the voltage source cycle at which the condition responsive element switches to its other state is determined by the sensed condition. Preferably, a clock of known frequency is enabled when the condition responsive element is in one of its states, whereby clock pulses are counted during an interval whose duration is determined by the sensed condition. The number of clock pulses counted is a digital value of the analog condition being sensed because: (i) the clock frequency is known; (ii) the voltage/time relation of the voltage source is known; and (iii) the voltage/sensed condition relation of the condition responsive element is known. A thermally sensitive thyristor is specifically disclosed for the condition responsive element.