Bipolar AC (Bipac) Switch With Buried Layer for Specific AC Mains Applications

A new vertical bipolar bidirectional switch (Bipac) with a buried layer is proposed for specific ac mains applications (230 V-50 Hz). It is mainly dedicated for the low load current ones (0.5 Arms) and must support a voltage of 750 V in the blocking state. Moreover, the Si-chip area must not exceed 10 mm2. The study of the new proposed Bipac structure is carried out using 2-D Sentaurus physical simulation. The operating principles are first validated, and then the physical and geometrical parameters of the buried layer are determined to meet the specifications. As compared to the classical Bipac, the Bipac with a buried layer exhibits a much higher current gain that makes it more attractive in replacing the triac in the targeted applications.