Patent · US Active

Semiconductor device

US7554173B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
3References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 2005
Grant dateJun 30, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 20, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/3011
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor device accurately monitoring temperature of a semiconductor chip even in a noisy environment, while not requiring a highly accurate detection circuit. A PTC element is bonded onto an IGBT chip. Then, a constant current flows from a constant current source through the PTC element, and an output voltage of the PTC element is detected by a voltage monitor. When output voltage increases, a voltage applied to a gate electrode by a detection circuit is decreased. Since the PTC element is directly arranged on the IGBT chip, the temperature of the IGBT chip can be monitored with high accuracy. Further, since the change in output voltage of the PTC element per 1° C. is large, a highly accurate detection circuit is not necessary, thereby allowing accurate monitoring of the temperature of the IGBT chip even in a noisy environment.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.