Temperature monitoring in a semiconductor device by using a PN junction based on silicon/germanium materials

US8796807B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Rolf Stephan · Dresden, DE
• Markus Forsberg · Dresden, DE
• Gert Burbach · Dresden, DE
• Anthony Mowry · Kyle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 3, 2011
• Grant date: Aug 5, 2014
• Expiry date: Oct 3, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D84/038

Abstract

By incorporating germanium material into thermal sensing diode structures, the sensitivity thereof may be significantly increased. In some illustrative embodiments, the process for incorporating the germanium material may be performed with high compatibility with a process flow for incorporating a silicon/germanium material into P-channel transistors of sophisticated semiconductor devices. Hence, temperature control efficiency may be increased with reduced die area consumption.