Turn-off thyristor with a minority-carrier control gate

A new type turn-off thyristor, in which majority and minority carriers in the n-base of the p-n-p-n thyristor are spatially separated by means of a p+-region and n+-region prepared in the n-base, is proposed and demonstrated by a lateral type one. Almost minority carriers, holes, in the n-base are extracted through the control gate Gcon the p+-region during the turn-off process. It is found that this turnoff device can be explained by a three-transistor model, and has fast turnoff characteristics, little anode-current tail, and consequently less power dissipation during turn-off.