Apparatus and method to monitor thermal runaway in a semiconductor device
First Claim
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1. A semiconductor-based apparatus, comprising:
- a semiconductor device;
a current sensor configured to measure a first stand-by current and a second stand-by current of the semiconductor device;
a temperature sensor configured to measure a first temperature and a second temperature of the semiconductor device; and
a thermal runaway monitor, configured to;
determine a ratio of a first difference relative to a second difference, the first difference being between the first stand-by current and the second stand-by current of the semiconductor device, and the second difference being between the first temperature and the second temperature of the semiconductor device; and
determine whether a thermal runaway onset condition exists based on the ratio.
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Abstract
An apparatus and methods are provided that more accurately detect the onset of thermal runaway in a device and timely control it. According to one embodiment, changes in stand-by current and temperature of a transistor device are measured and are used to be compared to some thresholds to trigger the device to respond before the onset thermal runaway. According to another embodiment, stand-by current is measured and is compared to some thresholds to trigger the device to respond before the onset thermal runaway.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A semiconductor-based apparatus, comprising:
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a semiconductor device; a current sensor configured to measure a first stand-by current and a second stand-by current of the semiconductor device; a temperature sensor configured to measure a first temperature and a second temperature of the semiconductor device; and a thermal runaway monitor, configured to; determine a ratio of a first difference relative to a second difference, the first difference being between the first stand-by current and the second stand-by current of the semiconductor device, and the second difference being between the first temperature and the second temperature of the semiconductor device; and determine whether a thermal runaway onset condition exists based on the ratio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method, comprising:
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measuring, using a current sensor, a first stand-by current and a second stand-by current of a semiconductor device; measuring, using a temperature sensor, a first temperature and a second temperature of the semiconductor device; determining, using a thermal runaway monitor, a ratio of a first difference relative to a second difference, the first difference being between the first stand-by current and the second stand-by current of the semiconductor device, and the second difference being between the first temperature and the second temperature of the semiconductor device; and determining, using the thermal runaway monitor, whether a thermal runaway onset condition exists based on the ratio. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A semiconductor-based apparatus, comprising:
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a semiconductor device; a current sensor configured to measure a stand-by current of the semiconductor device; and a thermal runaway monitor, configured to; determine a ratio of the stand-by current to a leakage current thermal runaway threshold; and determine whether a thermal runaway onset condition exists based on the ratio. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A semiconductor-based apparatus, comprising:
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a semiconductor device; a current sensor configured to measure a stand-by current of the semiconductor device; and a thermal runaway monitor, configured to; obtain a leakage current model temperature coefficient; determine a leakage current thermal runaway threshold based on the leakage current model temperature coefficient, a supply voltage of the semiconductor device, and a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of the semiconductor device; determine a ratio of the stand-by current to the leakage current thermal runaway threshold; and determine whether a thermal runaway onset condition exists based on the ratio.
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Specification