# US 11,309,883 B2 · Semiconductor module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,309,883 B2 - Document ID: US11309883B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/357,576 - Filed: 2021-06-24 - Published: 2022-03-03 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-26 - Assignees: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Susumu Iwamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309883B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/145: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 17/567: Circuits characterised by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device, e.g. BIMOS, composite devices such as IGBT - H10D 8/00: Diodes (variable-capacitance diodes H10D1/64; gated diodes H10D12/00) - H10D 12/411: {Insulated-gate bipolar transistors [IGBT]} - H10D 84/153: {the built-in component being PN junction diodes} - H10W 42/00: Arrangements for protection of devices (arrangements for thermal protection H10W40/00) - H10W 44/401: {Resistive arrangements (H10W44/20, H10W42/80 take precedence)} - H10W 72/50: Bond wires - H10D 84/141: {VDMOS having built-in components} - H10W 40/00: Arrangements for thermal protection or thermal control (integrated devices comprising arrangements for thermal protection H10D89/60) - H10W 72/5524: {comprising aluminium [Al]} - H10W 72/5525: {comprising copper [Cu]} - H10W 72/59: Bond pads specially adapted therefor - H10W 72/926: {Multiple bond pads having different sizes} - H10W 72/932: {Plan-view shape, i.e. in top view} - H10W 90/759: {between a chip and a laterally-adjacent discrete passive device} - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A semiconductor module, including a semiconductor chip that includes a switching device having a control electrode, and a control terminal connected to the control electrode, a first resistance being formed between the control electrode and the control terminal and having a positive temperature coefficient, and a second resistance connected to the control terminal, the second resistance having a negative temperature coefficient. A temperature coefficient of a combined resistance at the control terminal is zero or negative. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor module comprising: a semiconductor chip that includes a switching device having a control electrode, and a control terminal connected to the control electrode, a first resistance being formed between the control electrode and the control terminal, the first resistance having a positive temperature coefficient; and a second resistance connected to the control terminal, the second resistance having a negative temperature coefficient, wherein a temperature coefficient of a combined resistance at the control terminal is zero or negative, wherein the second resistance is spaced apart from the semiconductor chip by a predetermined distance, such that a temperature of the second resistance starts to rise after a predetermined time period has elapsed since a temperature of the semiconductor chip starts to rise. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the temperature coefficient of the combined resistance is zero or negative at least within a temperature range in which the semiconductor module operates. ### Claim 3 A semiconductor module comprising: a semiconductor chip that includes a switching device having a control electrode, and a control terminal connected to the control electrode, a first resistance being formed between the control electrode and the control terminal, the first resistance having a positive temperature coefficient; a second resistance connected to the control terminal, the second resistance having a negative temperature coefficient; a third resistance connected in parallel with the second resistance, the third resistance having a negative temperature coefficient; and a first diode connected in series with the third resistance, wherein a temperature coefficient of a combined resistance at the control terminal is zero or negative. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The semiconductor module according to claim 3, further comprising: a second diode connected in series with the second resistance, the second diode being in antiparallel to the first diode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The semiconductor module according to claim 4, further comprising: a first conductive pattern to which the semiconductor chip is mounted; and a second conductive pattern to which the second and third resistances and the first and second diodes are mounted. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The semiconductor module according to claim 3, further comprising: a first conductive pattern to which the semiconductor chip is mounted; and a second conductive pattern to which the second and third resistances and the first diode are mounted. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein the second and third resistances are spaced apart from the semiconductor chip by a predetermined distance, such that temperatures of the second and third resistances start to rise after a predetermined time period has elapsed since a temperature of the semiconductor chip starts to rise. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is 1 second or more and 120 seconds or less. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is 0.5 mm or more and 60 mm or less. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the switching device is an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor chip is a chip using a Si substrate, a SiC substrate, or a GaN substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein a resistance value of the combined resistance at the control terminal is a sum of resistance values of the first and second resistances.