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US 9,754,854 B2Granted
Semiconductor device having sensing functionality
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsRalf Otremba, Marco Seibt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor package includes a power semiconductor chip having a control electrode, a first load electrode and a second load electrode. The package also includes a first terminal conductor electrically coupled to the control electrode, a second terminal conductor electrically coupled to the first load electrode and a third terminal conductor electrically coupled to the second load electrode. Further, the package includes a temperature sensor electrically coupled to at least two of the first, second and third terminal conductor.
Claims15
A semiconductor package comprising:
- a power semiconductor chip having a control electrode, a first load electrode and a second load electrode, the power semiconductor chip comprising a transistor;
- an encapsulation body encapsulating the power semiconductor chip;
- a first external terminal of the semiconductor package electrically coupled to the control electrode;
- a second external terminal of the semiconductor package electrically coupled to the first load electrode;
- a third external terminal of the semiconductor package electrically coupled to the second load electrode;
- and
- a temperature sensor directly electrically coupled to at least two of the first, second and third external terminals of the semiconductor package such that the at least two of the first, second and third external terminals of the semiconductor package are directly electrically coupled to both the power semiconductor chip and the temperature sensor,
- wherein the temperature sensor is located within the semiconductor package,
- wherein the temperature sensor comprises a diode, wherein a cathode of the diode is coupled to a drain or collector electrode of the transistor and an anode of the diode is coupled to a gate electrode of the transistor, and
- wherein the first, second and third external terminals are the only external terminals of the semiconductor package that are exposed to an outside of the encapsulation body.
7 more elements
A device comprising:
- a modulation unit;
- and
- a semiconductor package comprising:
- a power semiconductor chip having a control electrode, a first load electrode and a second load electrode, the power semiconductor chip comprising a transistor;
- a first terminal conductor electrically coupled to the control electrode;
- a second terminal conductor electrically coupled to the first load electrode;
- a third terminal conductor electrically coupled to the second load electrode;
- and
- an encapsulation body embedding the power semiconductor chip, wherein the first, second and third terminal conductors are exposed to an outside of the encapsulation body to form external terminals of the semiconductor package;
- and
- a temperature sensor disposed in the semiconductor package, the temperature sensor being electrically coupled to at least two of the first, second and third terminal conductors, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a diode, wherein a cathode of the diode is coupled to a drain or collector electrode of the transistor and an anode of the diode is coupled to a gate electrode of the transistor,
- wherein the modulation unit is electrically coupled to the semiconductor package via at least one of the first terminal conductor, the second terminal conductor and the third terminal conductor, the modulation unit being configured to modulate a sensing signal on a control signal supplied to the first terminal conductor or on a load signal supplied to the second terminal conductor or third terminal conductor, respectively,
- wherein the modulation unit is external to the semiconductor package,
- wherein the control signal is a voltage between the control electrode and the first load electrode, and
- wherein the load signal is a drain-source current.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.