Semiconductor Temperature Sensing via Drift and Contact Resistance Ratio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power semiconductor devices face challenges in maintaining stable electrical characteristics and reliability, particularly in high-temperature environments, which can affect their performance and durability.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a main element area with a main channel layer and a peripheral circuit area, featuring specific resistance coefficients and a temperature calculator that senses temperature based on resistance ratios, ensuring stable operation and improved reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional temperature sensing methods are used in power semiconductor devices, then the device structure remains simple, but temperature detection accuracy is insufficient for high-temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary sensing circuit that uses drift regions with positive temperature coefficient and contact regions with negative temperature coefficient as mediators. These intermediary elements convert temperature changes into measurable resistance ratio changes, enabling accurate temperature detection without directly measuring temperature in the high-temperature power semiconductor environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional direct temperature sensing methods with an electrical resistance ratio-based sensing mechanism. By substituting mechanical or direct thermal measurement approaches with electrical property measurements (resistance ratios of drift regions and contact regions), the system achieves accurate temperature detection suitable for high-temperature power semiconductor applications.
2Measurement precision
If drift regions with positive temperature coefficient are used for temperature sensing, then temperature detection capability is improved, but contact resistance with negative temperature coefficient must be compensated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the sensing circuit continuously monitors the resistance ratio between drift regions and contact regions. The circuit uses the known negative temperature coefficient of contact resistance to compensate for its effect on the measurement, effectively canceling out the unwanted temperature dependence and isolating the positive temperature coefficient signal from the drift regions for accurate temperature sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameters of the sensing circuit to exploit the different temperature coefficients of resistance. By carefully selecting and configuring the resistance values of drift regions and contact regions, and by measuring their ratio rather than absolute values, the circuit transforms the compensation problem into a parameter relationship that naturally eliminates the need for complex external compensation mechanisms.
3Temperature
If power semiconductor devices operate in high-temperature environments, then their utility in power conversion applications is enhanced, but electrical characteristics become unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary temperature sensing and monitoring capabilities within the power semiconductor device structure. By incorporating drift regions and contact regions configured for temperature detection before temperature-induced instability occurs, the system can detect temperature changes in advance and enable compensatory control actions to maintain stable electrical characteristics throughout high-temperature operation.
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
The solution enhances the electrical characteristics and reliability of semiconductor devices by accurately detecting temperature fluctuations, thereby improving their performance and durability in high-temperature conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a resistance of a first drift region of the channel pattern between the source electrode and the sensing electrode has a positive temperature coefficient of resistance
Implementation Method 2
a first contact resistance between the power voltage electrode and the channel pattern has a negative temperature coefficient of resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprising a semiconductor device including a main element area including a main channel layer and a barrier layer containing materials having different energy band gaps, a gate electrode, a gate semiconductor layer between the barrier layer and gate electrode, and source and drain electrodes on opposite sides of the gate electrode, and a peripheral circuit area including a channel pattern including drift regions having a two-dimensional electron gas, a power voltage electrode, and a sensing electrode, wherein the resistance of a first drift region between the source and sending electrodes has a positive temperature coefficient of resistance, and a first contact resistance between the power voltage electrode and the channel pattern has a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, and wherein a temperature calculator senses the temperature of the semiconductor device according to the ratio between the resistance of the first drift region and the first contact resistance.