Bi-directional trench power switches. At least one example is a semiconductor device comprising: an upper base region associated with a first side of a substrate of semiconductor material; an upper-CE trench defined on the first side, the upper-CE trench defines a proximal opening at the first side and a distal end within the substrate; an upper collector-emitter region disposed at the distal end of the upper-CE trench; a lower base region associated with a second side of substrate; and a lower collector-emitter region associated with the second side.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to vertical bipolar transistors and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: an intrinsic base region comprising semiconductor-on-insulator material; a collector region confined within an insulator layer beneath the semiconductor-on-insulator material; an emitter region above the intrinsic base region; and an extrinsic base region above the intrinsic base region.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a bipolar transistor structure including a semiconductor fin on a substrate. The semiconductor fin has a first doping type, a length in a first direction, and a width in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A first emitter/collector (E/C) material is adjacent a first sidewall of the semiconductor fin along the width of the semiconductor fin. The first E/C material has a second doping type opposite the first doping type. A second E/C material is adjacent a second sidewall of the semiconductor fin along the width of the semiconductor fin. The second E/C material has the second doping type. A width of the first E/C material is different from a width of the second E/C material.

The present application teaches, among other innovations, power semiconductor devices in which breakdown initiation regions, on BOTH sides of a die, are located inside the emitter/collector regions, but laterally spaced away from insulated trenches which surround the emitter/collector regions. Preferably this is part of a symmetrically-bidirectional power device of the “B-TRAN” type. In one advantageous group of embodiments (but not all), the breakdown initiation regions are defined by dopant introduction through the bottom of trench portions which lie within the emitter/collector region. In one group of embodiments (but not all), these can advantageously be separated trench portions which are not continuous with the trench(es) surrounding the emitter/collector region(s).

A semiconductor device that includes a bipolar transistor, wherein a third opening, through which a pillar bump and a second wiring line, which is electrically connected to an emitter layer, contact each other, is shifted in a longitudinal direction of the emitter layer away from a position at which the third opening would be directly above the emitter layer. The third opening is arranged, with respect to the emitter layer, such that an end portion of the emitter layer in the longitudinal direction of the emitter layer and the edge of the opening of the third opening are substantially aligned with each other.

An integrated circuit includes a bipolar transistor, e.g. a back-ballasted NPN, that can conduct laterally and vertically. At a low voltage breakdown and low current conduction occur laterally near a substrate surface, while at a higher voltage vertical conduction occurs in a more highly-doped channel below the surface. A relatively high-resistance region at the surface has a low doping level to guide the conduction deeper into the collector.

An integrated circuit includes an N-type laterally diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (NLDMOS) transistor including an active semiconductor substrate region having P-type conductivity. The integrated circuit further includes a buried semiconductor region having N+-type conductivity underneath the active substrate region. The buried semiconductor region is more heavily doped than the active semiconductor substrate region.

Aspects of the disclosure provide a bipolar transistor structure with an elevated extrinsic base, and related methods to form the same. A bipolar transistor according to the disclosure may include a collector on a substrate, and a base film on the collector. The base film includes a crystalline region on the collector and a non-crystalline region adjacent the crystalline region. An emitter is on a first portion of the crystalline region of the base film. An elevated extrinsic base is on a second portion of the crystalline region of the base film, and adjacent the emitter.

An integrated circuit includes an N-type laterally diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (NLDMOS) transistor including an active semiconductor substrate region having P-type conductivity. The integrated circuit further includes a buried semiconductor region having N+-type conductivity underneath the active substrate region. The buried semiconductor region is more heavily doped than the active semiconductor substrate region.

An amplifier overload power limit circuit, system, and a method thereof comprising a monitoring of a current gain of a BJT based on a current detector and limiting power to the BJT based on the monitored current gain to prevent the BJT from driven into a saturation mode and the amplifier overdrive.