초록 ▼

One or more probe cells are use to sense voltage and current accurately and without affecting performance of the switching device (T1) or the load. In addition, power, resistance, and temperature can be determined from the voltage and current. Voltage sensing is accomplished by placing a large value

One or more probe cells are use to sense voltage and current accurately and without affecting performance of the switching device (T1) or the load. In addition, power, resistance, and temperature can be determined from the voltage and current. Voltage sensing is accomplished by placing a large value resistor (R3) (much greater than the on-resistance of the probe cell(s) between the probe cell(s) and its low voltage connection (the common source terminal in the case of MOSFET\s). Since the resistor (R3) is much greater than the cell resistance, the voltage across the resistor is nearly equal to the voltage across the power chip (10). Current probe cells are isolated from switching cells (27) in MOSFET power chips. The cell locations adjacent the probe cells are occupied by cells (50) that are inactive by virtue of their not having had a source region implanted therein during the chip fabrication. This isolation prevents any crosstalk between probe and switching cells.

대표청구항 ▼

A power MOSFET comprising: a volume of semiconductor doped to a first conductivity type; first and second pluralities of MOSFET cells formed in respective first and second regions of said semiconductor volume, each MOSFET cell having a region doped to a second conductivity type opposite said first c

A power MOSFET comprising: a volume of semiconductor doped to a first conductivity type; first and second pluralities of MOSFET cells formed in respective first and second regions of said semiconductor volume, each MOSFET cell having a region doped to a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type and having a source region formed therein of said first conductivity type; and a plurality of isolation cells formed in a third region of said semiconductor volume disposed between said first and second regions, said isolation cells each having a region of said second conductivity type, but no source region.