Semiconductor device and apparatus using the same

Claim 2

A semiconductor device comprising a plurality of semiconductor elements formed in a monolithic manner in a semiconductor wafer having a first conductivity type, in which each of the plurality of semiconductor elements consists of at least a collector region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having the first conductivity type and higher conductivity than the semiconductor wafer, a base region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having the first conductivity type and higher conductivity than the semiconductor wafer, and an emitter region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having a second conductivity type, at least the emitter regions of the semiconductor elements being formed separately of each other and each semiconductor element presenting a current controlled negative resistance characteristic between the emitter and collector regions with a biasing power source being applied between the base and collector regions, and in which the distance between any one of the semiconductor elements and at least one of the other semiconductor elements adjacent to the former is selected so that when the former is in the on state with the biasing power source being applied between the base and collector regions of the two semiconductor elements, thE turnover voltage of the other semiconductor element may be varied by modulation due to the injection of carriers from the former semiconductor element in the on state to the vicinity of the latter element through the semiconductor wafer.

Claim 3

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collector and emitter regions of the semiconductor elements are formed separately of each other, respectively.

Claim 4

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collector, emitter and base regions of the semiconductor elements are formed separately of each other, respectively.

Claim 5

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base region of each of the plurality of semiconductor elements is common to all of the semiconductor elements and extends along an array of the semiconductor elements.

Claim 6

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base region of each of the plurality of semiconductor elements is common to all of the semiconductor elements and surrounds the semiconductor elements.

Claim 7

A semiconductor device comprising at least first and second semiconductor element groups each consisting of a plurality of semiconductor elements formed in a monolithic manner in a semiconductor wafer having a first conductivity type, in which each of the plurality of semiconductor elements of the first and second groups consists of at least a collector region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having the first conductivity type and higher conductivity than the semiconductor wafer, a base region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having the first conductivity type and higher conductivity than the semiconductor wafer, and an emitter region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having a second conductivity type, at least the emitter region of the semiconductor elements being formed separately of each other and each semiconductor element presenting a current controlled negative resistance characteristic between the emitter and collector regions with a biasing power source being applied between the base and collector regions, in which the distance between two adjacent ones of the semiconductor elements is selected so that when one of the two adjacent semiconductor elements is in the on state with the biasing power source being applied between the base and collector regions of the two adjacent semiconductor elements, the turnover voltage of the other semiconductor may be varied by modulation due to the injection of carriers from the former semiconductor element in the on state to the vicinity of the latter element through the semiconductor wafer, in which the base region of each of the plurality of semiconductor elements of each of the first and second groups is common to all of the semiconductor elements of each group and extends to surround the semiconductor elements of each group, in which the common base regions of the first and second groups are partly contiguous to each other, and in which the contiguous common base region has an aperture for coupling the two element groups with each other.

Claim 8

A semiconductor device comprising at least first and second semiconductor element groups each consisting of a plurality of semiconductor elements formed in a monolithic manner in a semiconductor wafer having a first conductivity type, in which each of the plurality of semiconductor elements of the first and second groups consists of at least a collector region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having the first conductivity type and higher conductivity than the semiconductor wafer, a base region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having the first conductivity type and higher conductivity than the semiconductor wafer, and an emitter region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having a second conductivity type, at least the emitter region of the semiconductor elements being formed separately of each other and each semiconductor element presenting a current controlled negative resistance characteristic between the emitter and collector regions with a biasing power source being applied between the base and collector regions, in which the distance between two adjacent ones of the semiconductor elements is selected so that when one of the two adjacent semiconductor elements is in the on state with the biasing power source being applied between the base and collector regions of the two adjacent semiconductor elements, the turnover voltage of the other semiconductor may be varied by modulation due to the injection of carriers from the former semiconductor element in the on state to the vicinity of the latter element through the semiconductor wafer, in which the base region of each of the plurality of semiconductor elements of each of the first and second groups is common to all of the semiconductor elements of each group and extends to surround the semiconductor elements of each group, in which the common base regions of the first and second groups are partly contiguous to each other, and in which the contiguous common base region has an aperture for coupling the two element groups with each other.

Claim 9

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the common base region has an extending portion between adjacent semiconductor elements and the extending portion has an aperture for coupling adjacent semiconductor elements with each other.

Claim 10

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the extending portion of the common base portion is asymmetrical with respect to a line passing through the center between adjacent semiconductor elements and perpendicular to a line joining adjacent ones of the semiconductor elements.

Claim 11

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collector region of each of the plurality of semiconductor elements is asymmetrical with respect to a line passing through the center of each emitter region and perpendicular to a line joining adjacent ones of the semiconductor elements.

Claim 12

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, which includes a region formed between adjacent semiconductor elements for shortening the lifetime of carriers.

Claim 13

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, which includes a region formed to extend around the collector and emitter regions of each of the semiconductor elements for shortening the lifetime of carriers.

Claim 14

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the region for shortening the lifetime of the carriers is asymmetrical passing through the center of either one of the collector and emitter regions and perpendicular to a line joining adjacent ones of the semiconductor elements.

Claim 15

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, which includes regions formed at positions between adjacent semiconductor elements for controlling the turnover voltages of the semiconductor elements.

Claim 16

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a region for controlling the turnover voltages of the semiconductor elements is formed at the position of the aperture for coupling the semiconductor elements.

Claim 17

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, which includes means for applying light to at least one of the semiconductor elements to lower its turnover voltage to thereby turn on the semiconductor element.

Claim 18

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the semiconductor elements consists of the collector, base and emitter regions and a hook region formed in the semiconductor wafer and having the second conductivity type and in which the collector region is formed in the hook region.

Claim 19

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the hook region of each of the semiconductor elements is asymmetrical with respect to a line passing through the center of each emitter region and perpendicular to a line joining adjacent ones of the semiconductor elements.

Claim 20

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of the semiconductor elements is responsive to light to thereby turn on the semiconductor element.