US 2023/0420559 A1 · Dual Mode Current and Temperature Sensing for SiC Devices

Abstract

A semiconductor die includes: a SiC substrate; power and current sense transistors integrated in the substrate such that the current sense transistor mirrors current flow in the main power transistor; a gate terminal electrically connected to gate electrodes of both transistors; a drain terminal electrically connected to a drain region in the substrate and which is common to both transistors; a source terminal electrically connected to source regions of the power transistor; a dual mode sense terminal; and a doped resistor region in the substrate between the transistors. The dual mode sense terminal is electrically connected to source regions of the current sense transistor. The doped resistor region has an opposite conductivity type as the source regions of both transistors and is configured as a temperature sense resistor that electrically connects the source terminal to the dual mode sense terminal.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A semiconductor die, comprising:

a SiC substrate;
a power transistor and a current sense transistor integrated in the SiC substrate such that the current sense transistor is configured to mirror current flow in the main power transistor;
a gate terminal electrically connected to gate electrodes of both of the transistors;
a drain terminal electrically connected to a drain region in the SiC substrate and which is common to both of the transistors;
a source terminal electrically connected to source regions of the power transistor;
a dual mode sense terminal;
and
a doped resistor region in the SiC substrate between the power transistor and the current sense transistor,
wherein the dual mode sense terminal is electrically connected to source regions of the current sense transistor,
wherein the doped resistor region has an opposite conductivity type as the source regions of both of the transistors and is configured as a temperature sense resistor that electrically connects the source terminal to the dual mode sense terminal.

7 more elements

A method of current and temperature sensing for a semiconductor die that includes a power transistor and a current sense transistor integrated in a SiC substrate, a source terminal, a dual mode sense terminal, and a doped resistor region in the SiC substrate between the power transistor and the current sense transistor, the doped resistor region having an opposite conductivity type as source regions of both of the transistors and being configured as a temperature sense resistor that electrically connects the source terminal to the dual mode sense terminal, the method comprising:

in a first state:
switching on the power transistor, the current sense transistor, and a toggle device such that the toggle device electrically couples the dual mode sense terminal of the semiconductor die to a current sense resistor;
and
sensing a voltage drop across the current sense resistor;
and
in a second state:
switching off the power transistor, the current sense transistor, and the toggle device such that the toggle device electrically decouples the dual mode sense terminal of the semiconductor die from the current sense resistor;
providing a constant current that flows through the temperature sense resistor of the semiconductor die, or electrically connecting a constant voltage source to the temperature sense resistor;
and
sensing a voltage drop between the source terminal and the dual mode sense terminal of the semiconductor die, or sensing a current flowing through the dual mode sense terminal.

7 more elements

An electronic system for sensing current and temperature of a semiconductor die that includes a power transistor and a current sense transistor integrated in a SiC substrate, a source terminal, a dual mode sense terminal, and a doped resistor region in the SiC substrate between the power transistor and the current sense transistor, the doped resistor region having an opposite conductivity type as source regions of both of the transistors and being configured as a temperature sense resistor that electrically connects the source terminal to the dual mode sense terminal, the electronic system comprising:

a current sense resistor;
a toggle device electrically coupling the dual mode sense terminal of the semiconductor die to the current sense resistor;
a driver;
and
sense circuitry,
wherein in a first state:
the driver is configured to switch on the power transistor, the current sense transistor, and the toggle device such that the toggle device electrically couples the dual mode sense terminal of the semiconductor die to the current sense resistor;
and
the sense circuitry is configured to sense a voltage drop across the current sense resistor;
and
in a second state:
the driver is configured to switch off the power transistor, the current sense transistor, and the toggle device such that the toggle device electrically decouples the dual mode sense terminal of the semiconductor die from the current sense resistor;
and
the sense circuitry is configured to provide a constant current that flows through the temperature sense resistor of the semiconductor die or electrically connect a constant voltage source to the temperature sense resistor, and sense a voltage drop between the source terminal and the dual mode sense terminal of the semiconductor die or sense a current flowing through the dual mode sense terminal.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dual Mode Current and Temperature Sensing for SiC Devices

Life of this patent

Dual Mode Current and Temperature Sensing for SiC Devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24