SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

• US 20090310265A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shishido, Hideaki, FUKUOKA, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 8,363,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/54
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/60 Protection against electrostatic charges or discharges, e.g. Faraday shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0248 for electrical or thermal protection, e.g. electrostatic discharge [ESD] protection
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]

Abstract

The resistance of an integrated circuit against ESD (electrostatic discharge) is improved without disturbing improvement of the performance and reduction of size of the integrated circuit. A protection circuit is interposed between an input and output terminals. When ESD is generated, the input and output terminals are short-circuited by the protection circuit, so that overvoltage application to the circuit is prevented. The circuit is electrically connected to the input and output terminals by a connection wiring. The circuit has a plurality of electrical connection portions between the circuit and the connection wiring, and the connection wiring is formed such that the wiring resistance between the input or output terminal and each of the connection portions is the same. Accordingly, if ESD is generated, voltage application on only one of the connection portions is prevented, whereby the possibility that the circuit will be broken by ESD is decreased.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a terminal;

a circuit including a plurality of semiconductor elements;

a plurality of connection portions at which first stages of the plurality of semiconductor elements of the circuit are electrically connected to the terminal; and

a connection wiring electrically connected between the plurality of connection portions and the terminal,

wherein a resistance between the terminal and each of the plurality of connection portions is the same.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a protection circuit electrically connected to the terminal.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a size of the semiconductor device is equal to or less than 10 mm×

10 mm in a planar arrangement.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the resistance between the terminal and each of the plurality of connection portions is within the range of ±

20% of the medium value.

5. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first terminal and a second terminal;

a circuit including a plurality of semiconductor elements;

a protection circuit electrically connected between the first terminal and the second terminal;

a plurality of first connection portions at which first stages of the plurality of semiconductor elements of the circuit are electrically connected to the first terminal;

a plurality of second connection portions at which first stages of the plurality of semiconductor elements of the circuit are electrically connected to the second terminal;

a first connection wiring electrically connected between the plurality of first connection portions and the first terminal; and

a second connection wiring electrically connected between the plurality of second connection portions and the second terminal,

wherein a resistance between the first terminal and each of the plurality of first connection portions is the same, and

wherein a resistance between the second terminal and each of the plurality of second connection portions is the same.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the protection circuit includes a diode interposed between the first terminal and the second terminal, and

wherein the diode is formed over an insulating film and includes a semiconductor film in which an n-type impurity region and a p-type impurity region which are adjacent to each other in a parallel direction over the insulating film are formed.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the circuit comprises:

a photodiode which is interposed between the first terminal and the second terminal; and

an amplifier circuit including the plurality of first connection portions and the plurality of second connection portions, to amplify an output current of the photodiode.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the protection circuit comprises a diode which is interposed between the first terminal and the second terminal,

wherein the diode is formed over an insulating film and includes a semiconductor film in which an n-type impurity region and a p-type impurity region which are adjacent to each other in a parallel direction over the insulating film are formed,

wherein the circuit comprises:

a photodiode which is interposed between the first terminal and the second terminal; and

an amplifier circuit including the plurality of first connection portions, the plurality of second connection portions, and a plurality of transistors, to amplify an output current of the photodiode, and

wherein the plurality of transistors are each formed over the insulating film and each include a semiconductor film in which a channel formation region, a source region, and a drain region are formed.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the resistance between the first terminal and each of the plurality of first connection portions is within the range of ±

20% of the medium value, and

wherein the resistance between the second terminal and each of the plurality of second connection portions is within the range of ±

20% of the medium value.

10. A semiconductor device comprising:

a terminal;

a circuit which is electrically connected to the terminal;

a plurality of semiconductor elements which is disposed at a first stage with respect to the terminal in the circuit and includes a semiconductor film;

a connection wiring which electrically connects the terminal to the plurality of semiconductor elements; and

a conductive film which is included in the connection wiring and in contact with the semiconductor film of each of the plurality of semiconductor elements and is formed such that a resistance between the terminal and each of a plurality of source or drain regions of the plurality of semiconductor elements, which is in contact with the connection wiring is the same.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the resistance between the terminal and each of a plurality of source or drain regions of the plurality of semiconductor elements is within the range of ±

20% of the medium value.

12. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first terminal and a second terminal;

a circuit which includes a semiconductor film included in a plurality of semiconductor elements and is electrically connected to the first terminal and the second terminal;

a first connection wiring which electrically connects the circuit to the first terminal;

a second connection wiring which electrically connects the circuit to the second terminal;

a plurality of first connection portions at which the semiconductor film is electrically connected to the first connection wiring and first stages of the circuit with respect to the first terminal are electrically connected;

a plurality of second connection portions at which the semiconductor film is electrically connected to the second connection wiring and first stages of the circuit with respect to the second terminal are electrically connected;

a first conductive film which is included in the first connection wiring and is provided in contact with the semiconductor film such that a resistance between the first terminal and each of the plurality of first connection portions is the same; and

a second conductive film which is included in the second connection wiring and is provided in contact with the semiconductor film such that a resistance between the second terminal and each of the plurality of second connection portions is the same.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, further comprising a diode which includes a second semiconductor film which is in contact with the first conductive film and the second conductive film,

wherein the diode protects the circuit against an overvoltage by short-circuiting the first terminal and the second terminal.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, wherein a size of the semiconductor device is equal to or less than 10 mm×

10 mm in a planar arrangement.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 12,

wherein the resistance between the first terminal and each of the plurality of first connection portions is within the range of ±

20% of the medium value, and

wherein the resistance between the second terminal and each of the plurality of second connection portions is within the range of ±

20% of the medium value.