Closed loop temperature controlled circuit to improve device stability

• US 10,206,247 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Limited (STMicroelectronics NV), STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Wang, Fuchao, Le Neel, Olivier, Shankar, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chou, Jimmy
• Application Number:
  US14/856,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 338 25, 219494, 219501, 219497
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73253 Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/345 Arrangements for heating thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0227 Applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/06 Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/12 characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 : flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs

Abstract

An integrated circuit is provided having an active circuit. A heating element is adjacent to the active circuit and configured to heat the active circuit. A temperature sensor is also adjacent to the active circuit and configured to measure a temperature of the active circuit. A temperature controller is coupled to the active circuit and configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor. The temperature controller operates the heating element to heat the active circuit to maintain the temperature of the active circuit in a selected temperature range.

Claims

1. A wireless device, comprising:

a battery;

an antenna coupled to the battery; and

an integrated circuit package coupled to the antenna and the battery, the integrated circuit package including;

a semiconductor die;

an active circuit in the semiconductor die;

a temperature sensor in the semiconductor die, the temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the active circuit;

a heating element configured to heat the active circuit; and

a temperature controller configured to receive temperature data from the temperature sensor and data regarding a level of use of the active circuit from the active circuit, and to cause the heating element to heat the active circuit to maintain the temperature of the active circuit above a minimum threshold temperature and below a maximum threshold temperature based on the temperature data received from the temperature sensor and the data regarding the level of use of the active circuit received from the active circuit.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, comprising a memory coupled to the temperature controller.

3. The wireless device of claim 2 wherein the temperature controller reads data from the memory to calculate the heat to output from the heating element to maintain the temperature of the active circuit above the minimum threshold temperature and below the maximum threshold temperature.

4. The wireless device of claim 1, comprising a dielectric stack on a surface of the semiconductor die, wherein the heating element is disposed in the dielectric stack.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the heating element is located above the active circuit.

6. The wireless device of claim 4 wherein the heating element is a thin film heater.

7. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the temperature controller is configured to vary an amount of current in the heating element based on the temperature data and the data regarding the level of use of the active circuit.

8. A wireless device, comprising:

a battery;

an antenna circuit coupled to the battery;

a display circuit coupled to the battery; and

an integrated circuit package coupled to the antenna circuit and the battery, the integrated circuit package including;

a semiconductor die;

an active circuit in the semiconductor die;

a temperature sensor in the semiconductor die, the temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the active circuit;

a heating element configured to heat the active circuit; and

a temperature controller configured to receive temperature data from the temperature sensor and data regarding a level of use of the active circuit from the active circuit, and to cause the heating element to heat the active circuit to maintain the temperature of the active circuit above a minimum threshold temperature and below a maximum threshold temperature based on the temperature data received from the temperature sensor and the data regarding the level of use of the active circuit received from the active circuit.

9. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the heating element is configured to heat the antenna circuit.

10. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the temperature controller is configured to activate the heating element upon turning on the wireless device.

11. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the heating element is configured to heat the display circuit.

12. The wireless device of claim 11 wherein the temperature controller is configured to activate the heating element upon turning on the wireless device.

13. The wireless device of claim 8 wherein the heating element is configured to heat the antenna circuit and the display circuit.

14. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the temperature controller is configured to activate the heating element upon turning on the wireless device.

15. A wireless device, comprising:

a battery;

an antenna circuit coupled to the battery; and

an integrated circuit package coupled to the antenna circuit and the battery, the integrated circuit package including;

a semiconductor die;

an active circuit in the semiconductor die;

a temperature sensor in the semiconductor die, the temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the active circuit;

a dielectric stack on a surface of the semiconductor die;

a heating element in the dielectric stack, the heating element configured to heat the active circuit; and

a temperature controller configured to receive temperature data from the temperature sensor and data regarding a level of use of the active circuit from the active circuit, and to cause the heating element to heat the active circuit to maintain the temperature of the active circuit in a selected range of temperatures by controlling an amount of current in the heating element based on the temperature data received from the temperature sensor and the data regarding the level of use of the active circuit received from the active circuit.

16. The wireless device of claim 15 wherein the temperature controller is configured to control the amount of current in the heating element based on the temperature data and the data regarding the level of use of the active circuit.

17. The wireless device of claim 16, comprising a memory that stores data relating to the level of use of the active circuit, heat output of the heating element, and the temperature of the active circuit.

18. The wireless device of claim 15 wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure a band gap of the active circuit.

19. The wireless device of claim 15 wherein the heating element is a thin film heater.

20. The wireless device of claim 15 wherein the temperature sensor and the temperature controller are part of the active circuit.