Semiconductor devices comprising failure detectors for detecting failure of bipolar junction transistors and methods for detecting failure of the bipolar junction transistors

A semiconductor device, comprising:

• a voltage generator configured to generate a first base-emitter voltage of a first bipolar junction transistor;
• and
• a failure detector configured to generate a failure signal by comparing the first base-emitter voltage with an upper limit reference voltage and a lower limit reference voltage;
• wherein the failure detector comprises:
• a second bipolar junction transistor in which a base terminal and a collector terminal are grounded;
• a current source configured to generate a bias current;
• a first resistor coupled between the current source and an emitter terminal of the second bipolar junction transistor to generate the upper limit reference voltage;
• a second resistor and a third resistor configured to divide a second base-emitter voltage of the second bipolar junction transistor to generate the lower limit reference voltage;
• a first comparator configured to compare the first base-emitter voltage with the upper limit reference voltage and configured to generate a first failure signal;
• and
• a second comparator configured to compare the first base-emitter voltage with the lower limit reference voltage and configured to generate a second failure signal.