Infineon Technologies Ag

Andreas Tschmelitsch

Gerhard Zojer

Guenter Herzele

Guenter Holl

Alexander Mayer

Guentr Herzele

Matthias Kogler

A semiconductor chip having a current source coupled between a first potential and an electrical node, a detection circuit having an input coupled to the electrical node, and a first active component coupled in series with the current source and further coupled between the electrical node and a second potential, wherein the first active component is coupled to the electrical node via a first conductive interconnect.

Method for detecting damage to a semiconductor chip

Detection circuit and method for detecting damage to a semiconductor chip

A semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor body having an upper surface. At least one power semiconductor component is integrated in the semiconductor chip together with other circuitry. Two or more vertically spaced metallization layers are arranged on the surface of the semiconductor body. The top metallization layer includes terminals establishing an electrical connection to load terminals of the power semiconductor component. A current measurement resistor is formed by a portion of the top metallization layer for sensing a load current of the power semiconductor component. A temperature measurement resistor is formed by a portion of at least one of the vertically spaced metallization layers, electrically isolated from current measurement resistor but thermally coupled thereto such that the current measurement resistor and the temperature measurement resistor have the same temperature.

Current control using thermally matched resistors

Growing community of inventors

Villach, Austria

Andreas Tschmelitsch