Power MOSFET with overcurrent and over-temperature protection

• US 5,497,285 A
• Filed: 09/14/1993
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Nadd, Bruno C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krishnan, Aditya
• Application Number:
  US08/121,288
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 361/18, 361/103, 361/98, 361/91, 363/21, 123/416, 323/268-272, 327/405, 327/407, 327/415, 327/429, 257/379, 257/154, 257/165, 257/167, 257/390
• US Class Current: 361/103
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0248 for electrical or thermal protection, e.g. electrostatic discharge [ESD] protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0251 for MOS devices
• 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: H03K 17/08122 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/0806 against excessive temperature

Abstract

A power integrated circuit is pin-compatible with a three-terminal power MOSFET and contains integrated circuits to turn off the device in the event of an overcurrent or an over-temperature condition. Control power voltage V_cc is applied through a first MOSFET connected between the gate pin and the gate electrode of the power device. A second control MOSFET is connected across the power device gate and source electrodes. The first control MOSFET is turned off and the second control MOSFET is turned on in response to a fault condition. The turn off of the first MOSFET limits the current sinked by the gate pin. A novel boot strap circuit is disclosed which permits the use of all N channel MOSFETs with an N channel power device, and a novel trimmable temperature shutdown circuit is provided. An integrated bipolar transistor is also integrated into the chip to prevent conduction of the P well/N epi diode formed in the device substrate.

Claims

1. A MOSgated semiconductor power device having a fault condition responsive control circuit integrated into the same die which contains a power section for said device;

said device comprising a semiconductor die having first and second main electrodes and a gate electrode for controlling the conduction of current between said first and second main electrodes;

said device having at least first, second and third connection pins;

said first and second pins connected to said first and second main electrodes respectively;

said fault condition responsive control circuit being formed in at least one separate well area within said semiconductor die;

said fault condition responsive control circuit being operable to turn off a signal to said gate electrode in response to a predetermined fault condition;

said fault condition responsive control circuit having an input terminal for a control voltage V_cc needed for the biasing and operation of the components of said fault condition responsive control circuit;

a first control MOSFET connected between said third connection pin and said gate electrode and a second control MOSFET connected between said gate electrode and one of said first and second main electrodes;

said input terminal of said fault condition responsive control circuit being connected to the voltage at the node between said third pin and said first control MOSFET;

said first control MOSFET being turned on and said second control MOSFET being turned off during the time that said MOSgated semiconductor power device is in normal conduction;

said fault condition responsive control circuit being operable to turn off said first control MOSFET and turn on said second control MOSFET in response to a monitored fault condition.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the resistance defined by said first control MOSFET is substantially less than 4000 ohms and the current drawn from said gate pin is less than about 1 milliampere during normal operation of said device.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said fault condition responsive circuit is responsive to a predetermined overcurrent between said first and second main electrodes and to a die temperature above a given value.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said fault condition responsive circuit is responsive to a predetermined overcurrent between said first and second main electrodes and to a die temperature above a given value.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said power section defines a power MOSFET.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said power section defines a MOSgated semiconductor device.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said power section is an N(-) channel device and said first and second control MOSFETs are N channel devices.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said fault condition responsive circuit includes a boot strap circuit which includes capacitor means which charges to a voltage higher than the voltage on said third pin to produce a voltage operable to turn on said first control MOSFET during normal operation.

9. The device of claim 1 which includes a trimmable temperature shutdown circuit in said fault condition responsive circuit;

said temperature shutdown circuit comprising positive temperature coefficient circuit means for producing an output signal which rises with increasing die temperature;

a negative temperature coefficient circuit comparator which has an input threshold decreasing with increasing die temperature; and

circuit means for producing an output signal to turn off said power section when the die temperature exceed a predetermined temperature.

10. The device of claim 8 which includes a trimmable temperature shutdown circuit in said fault condition responsive circuit;

said temperature shutdown circuit comprising positive temperature coefficient circuit means for producing an output signal which rises with increasing die temperature;

a negative temperature coefficient circuit which produces an output signal which reduces with increasing die temperature;

circuit means to compare the outputs of said positive and negative temperature coefficient circuits to establish a fixed reference temperature indication; and

circuit means for producing an output signal to turn off said power section when the die temperature exceeds said reference temperature.

11. The device of claim 9 which includes a current source means coupled to said positive and negative temperature coefficient circuits for establishing a fixed reference output which is invariant with temperature;

said current source means including a MOSFET device of trimmable channel width to adjust the value of said fixed reference output.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein said separate well area is a P type well in an N type substrate;

and a control transistor means integrated into said N type substrate and having first and second main electrodes connected to said N type substrate and said P well respectively, and having a control electrode at the potential of said first main electrode of said device whereby, if said P well is biased positive relative to said substrate, said control transistor means turns on to connect said P well to the potential of said substrate to prevent turn-on of said P well/substrate junction.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said control transistor means is a bipolar transistor.

12. A trimmable shutdown circuit connected to the gate of a MOSgated power device having a semiconductor die;

said trimmable shutdown circuit comprising positive temperature coefficient circuit means for producing an output signal which rises with increasing die temperature;

a negative temperature coefficient comparator circuit which has an input threshold signal which reduces with increasing die temperature; and

circuit means coupled to said positive temperature coefficient circuit and to said negative temperature comparator circuit for producing an output signal to turn off said MOSgate device when the temperature of said die exceeds a given temperature.

13. The device of claim 12 which includes a current source means coupled to said positive and negative temperature coefficient circuits for establishing a fixed reference output and coupled to said circuit means which is invariant with temperature;

said current source means including a MOSFET device of trimmable channel width to adjust the value of said fixed reference output.

16. A MOSgated device having a power section and a fault responsive control section integrated into a common semiconductor die;

said power section having a source electrode;

said control section being formed in a P type well in an N type substrate; and

a transistor means integrated into said N type substrate and having first and second main electrodes connected to said N type substrate and said P well respectively, said transistor further having a control electrode connected to the potential of said source electrode whereby, if said P well is biased positive relative to said N type substrate, said transistor means turns on to connect said P well to the potential of said N type substrate thereby to prevent the turn on of the junction between said P well and said N type substrate.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said transistor means is a bipolar transistor.