SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DETECTING CHARACTERISTIC DEGRADATION OF SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS

• US 20110068818A1
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: FUKAMI, Ikuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,717,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/762.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2642 Testing semiconductor operation lifetime or reliability, e.g. by accelerated life tests

Abstract

A semiconductor apparatus (IPD) includes a set value storage unit that stores a set value determined based on an initial characteristic value of the IPD, and a detector that detects characteristic degradation of the IPD based on a characteristic value of the IPD at given timing and the set value stored in the set value storage unit. Further, a method of detecting characteristic degradation of a semiconductor apparatus (IPD) includes storing a set value determined based on an initial characteristic value of the IPD, and detecting characteristic degradation of the IPD based on a characteristic value of the IPD at given timing and the stored set value.

Claims

1. A semiconductor apparatus comprising:

a set value storage unit that stores a set value determined based on an initial characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus; and

a detector that detects characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus at given timing and the set value stored in the set value storage unit.

2. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is an on-resistance detector that detects an on-resistance of a semiconductor device that is included in the semiconductor apparatus.

3. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the on-resistance detector includes:

a first resistor having one end connected to a source of the semiconductor device at a first node and another end connected to a second node;

a first variable resistor having one end connected to a drain of the semiconductor device and another end connected to a third node;

a second resistor having one end connected to the third node and another node connected to the second node; and

a first comparator that receives a voltage value of the first node and a voltage value of the third node, and outputs a signal based on a potential difference between the voltage value of the first node and the voltage value of the third node.

4. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is a gate leakage detector that detects a gate leakage of a semiconductor device that is included in the semiconductor apparatus.

5. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the gate leakage detector includes:

a third resistor connected to a gate of the semiconductor device;

a first operational amplifier that receives a potential difference between both ends of the third resistor and outputs a voltage signal based on the potential difference; and

a second comparator that receives the voltage signal of the first operational amplifier and a reference voltage, and outputs a signal based on a comparison result between the voltage signal of the first operational amplifier and the reference voltage.

6. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is a consumption current detector that detects a consumption current of the semiconductor apparatus.

7. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the consumption current detector includes:

a fourth resistor connected to an internal reference line of the semiconductor apparatus;

a second operational amplifier that receives a potential difference between both ends of the fourth resistor, and outputs a voltage signal based on the potential difference; and

a third comparator that receives the voltage signal of the second operational amplifier and a reference voltage, and outputs a signal based on a comparison result between the voltage signal of the second operational amplifier and the reference voltage.

8. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the reference voltage is set by using a circuit including a first constant voltage source, and a second variable resistor and a fifth resistor that divides a voltage of the first constant voltage source.

9. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is an off-leakage detector that detects an off-leakage of a semiconductor device.

10. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the off-leakage detector includes:

a sixth resistor connected to a source of the semiconductor device;

a third operational amplifier that receives a potential difference between both ends of the sixth resistor, and outputs a signal based on the potential difference;

a first transistor having a gate connected to an output of the third operational amplifier and a source connected to a fourth node; and

a first current mirror having a first current path connected to the fourth node and a second current path connected to a fifth node through which a reference current flows.

11. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the reference current is set by using a second current mirror having a third current path connected to a second constant voltage source and a third variable resistor and the second current path.

12. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the first variable resistor include:

a plurality of resistors connected in series;

a plurality of P-type transistors respectively corresponding to the plurality of resistors, each having a source and a drain connected to both ends of each of the plurality of resistors;

a plurality of constant current sources connected to each of gates of the plurality of P-type transistors; and

a plurality of trimming resistors placed between each of the gates of the plurality of P-type transistors and a reference power supply, and

a resistance value is set by cutting off the trimming resistors.

13. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a first set value and a second set value determined based on an initial characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus are stored in the set value storage unit,

the detector detects characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus at given timing and the first set value, and outputs a warning based on a detection result, and

the detector detects characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus at given timing and the second set value, and stops an operation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a detection result.

14. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the given timing is timing when power of the semiconductor apparatus is turned on, timing when a control signal is supplied to an input terminal of the semiconductor apparatus, timing when an instruction signal for detecting characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus is supplied from a controller that controls the semiconductor apparatus to the semiconductor apparatus, or timing at regular time intervals during an operation of the semiconductor apparatus.

15. The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the reference voltage is set by using a circuit including a first constant voltage source, and a second variable resistor and a fifth resistor that divides a voltage of the first constant voltage source.

16. A method of detecting characteristic degradation of a semiconductor apparatus, comprising:

storing a set value determined based on an initial characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus; and

detecting characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus at given timing and the stored set value.

17. The method of detecting characteristic degradation of a semiconductor apparatus according to claim 16, wherein characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus is detected based on at least one of an on-resistance, a gate leakage and an off-leakage of a semiconductor device, and a consumption current of the semiconductor apparatus.

18. The method of detecting characteristic degradation of a semiconductor apparatus according to claim 16, comprising:

storing a first set value and a second set value determined based on an initial characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus;

detecting characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus at given timing and the first set value, and outputting a warning based on a detection result; and

detecting characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus at given timing and the second set value, and stopping an operation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a detection result.

19. The method of detecting characteristic degradation of a semiconductor apparatus according to claim 17, comprising:

storing a first set value and a second set value determined based on an initial characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus;

detecting characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus at given timing and the first set value, and outputting a warning based on a detection result; and

detecting characteristic degradation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a characteristic value of the semiconductor apparatus at given timing and the second set value, and stopping an operation of the semiconductor apparatus based on a detection result.