Semiconductor device having heat protection circuits

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a plurality of element regions formed in a semiconductor substrate, each of the plurality of element regions comprising:
• an output portion allowing current flowing through a load;
• and
• a heat protection circuit formed adjacent to the output portion for stopping the output portion from allowing the current flowing when heat emitted from the output portion exceeds a threshold value;
• a plurality of heat transmission restraining portions each of which is formed between adjacent two of the element regions, wherein the plurality of the element regions are thermally isolated from each other by the plurality of the heat transmission restraining portions.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a plurality of output portions formed in the semiconductor substrate, each of the plurality of output portions is for permitting current to flow through a load;
• and
• a plurality of heat protection circuits, each of which is formed at a corresponding output portion of the plurality of the output portions, wherein:
• the each of the plurality of heat protection circuits stops the corresponding output portion from permitting the current to flow when a temperature of the corresponding output portion exceeds a threshold value;
• and
• an outer insulated trench surrounds the each of the plurality of heat protection circuits and the corresponding output portion for providing thermal isolation.

A semiconductor device comprised of a plurality of output circuits formed in an SOI substrate, each of the plurality of output circuits comprising:

• a semiconductor switching element for supplying current to a load;
• a heat protection circuit operatively connected to the semiconductor switching element for switching the semiconductor switching element to an off state when the semiconductor switching element reaches a predetermined temperature;
• and
• an outer insulated trench surrounding the each of the plurality of output circuits for substantially restraining heat transmission from an adjacent one of the plurality of output circuits.