Semiconductor switch with degradation detection

Abstract

A semiconductor device with a power transistor is described. The power transistor has two or more gate electrodes to allow an individual switching of two or more respective groups of transistor cells. The semiconductor device includes a metallization layer, arranged on a semiconductor die, that forms a main electrode of the power transistor; a clamping circuit; a degradation detection circuit, which is configured to detect a degradation of the metallization layer, wherein the degradation detection circuit is integrated in the same semiconductor die as the first transistor; and a gate control circuit that is configured to activate and deactivate the two or more groups of transistor cells by providing gate signals to the two or more gate electrodes of the first transistor. When a degradation is detected by the degradation detection circuit and the clamping circuit is active, at least one group of transistor cells is inactive.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.