Power Transistor Wire Bond Defect Detection via Sense Voltage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor devices with parallel wire bonding configurations face challenges in detecting bonding defects, as they often operate without issues even with defects in multiple wires, making it difficult to identify such defects from the device's operation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a current detection circuit and a multiplexer that detect branch currents through metal wires acting as sense resistors, allowing for the determination of wire bonding conditions by comparing detected sense voltages with expected values, eliminating the need for separate control of multiple power transistors and reducing circuit size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple wires are arranged in parallel to establish bonding between pads and external electrode, then the device can handle large electric current, but it becomes difficult to detect bonding defects in the wires
Solution Approach 1:
The metal wires serving as electrical connections also function as sense resistors for defect detection. The wires themselves provide the sensing function by generating voltage drops that are measured by the current detection circuit, eliminating the need for separate sensing components and reducing overall device complexity while enabling defect detection
Solution Approach 2:
The metal wires perform dual functions: they serve as electrical conductors for current transmission and as sense resistors for bonding defect detection. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address both power transmission and quality monitoring needs without requiring additional dedicated sensing wires or circuits
2Ease of operation
If separate control circuits are provided for multiple power transistors, then each transistor can be controlled independently, but the circuit size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple power transistors are controlled through a single shared control circuit rather than requiring separate control circuits for each transistor. This merging of control functions reduces circuit size and complexity while still enabling independent control of each transistor through the shared control signals
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective detection of wire bonding defects in semiconductor devices, preventing increases in semiconductor chip size and circuit complexity, while allowing a single current detection circuit to be used for both input and output sides.
Implementation Method 1
a current detection circuit configured to detect, as a sense voltage, at least one of voltage drops caused in each of the plurality of wires according to a branch current flowing through the wire
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor chip including a power transistor, a plurality of pads, a plurality of wires arranged to establish continuity between each of the plurality of pads and a first end or a second end of the power transistor, a current detection circuit configured to detect, as a sense voltage, at least one of voltage drops caused in each of the plurality of wires according to a branch current flowing through the wire and a wire resistance component of the wire, and a logic configured to determine a condition of wire bonding of each of the plurality of pads according to a result of the detection by the current detection circuit.