Integrated temperature sensor for discrete semiconductor devices

US10712208B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Andreas Kiep · Munich, DE
• Holger Ruething · Munich, DE
• Frank Wolter · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 26, 2018
• Grant date: Jul 14, 2020
• Expiry date: Sep 26, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D84/811
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A semiconductor die includes a single power transistor or power diode, a temperature sense diode formed close enough to the single power transistor or power diode to measure an accurate temperature. The temperature sense diode comprises first and second diodes or strings of diodes. A separate integrated circuit is operable to measure first and second voltage drops of both the first and second diodes or strings of diodes using same magnitude currents, and estimate the temperature of the single power transistor or power diode based on the difference between the first and second forward voltage drop measurements. An overall pn junction area of the first diode or string of first diodes is different from an overall pn junction area of the second diode or string of second diodes.