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An apparatus and method is described for measuring a local surface temperature of a semiconductor device under stress. The apparatus includes a substrate, and a reference MOSFET. The reference MOSFET may be disposed closely adjacent to the semiconductor device under stress. A local surface temperatu

An apparatus and method is described for measuring a local surface temperature of a semiconductor device under stress. The apparatus includes a substrate, and a reference MOSFET. The reference MOSFET may be disposed closely adjacent to the semiconductor device under stress. A local surface temperature of the semiconductor device under stress may be measured using the reference MOSFET, which is not under stress. The local surface temperature of the semiconductor device under stress may be determined as a function of drain current values of the reference MOSFET measured before applying stress to the semiconductor device and while the semiconductor device is under stress.

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The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for measuring temperature, comprising: a substrate; and a reference MOSFET, supported by the substrate and adjacent to a semiconductor device such that current through the reference MOSFET is representative of a temperature of the semiconductor device when

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for measuring temperature, comprising: a substrate; and a reference MOSFET, supported by the substrate and adjacent to a semiconductor device such that current through the reference MOSFET is representative of a temperature of the semiconductor device when the semiconductor device is under stress and the reference MOSFET is not under stress, the reference MOSFET disposed on a singulation scribe line of the substrate. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a local surface temperature of the semiconductor device under stress is determined as a function of drain current values of the reference MOSFET measured before applying stress to the semiconductor device and while the semiconductor device is under stress. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stress is thermal stress. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stress is electrical stress, which is thermally enhanced. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one heater disposed above the substrate and adjacent to the semiconductor device. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one heater is made of polysilicon high resistive metal or diffusion. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device under stress is a MOSFET. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor device under stress shares a source electrode with the reference MOSFET. 9. An apparatus for sensing temperature, comprising: a substrate; and a reference MOSFET supported by the substrate, between and adjacent to a pair of semiconductor devices such that current through the reference MOSFET which is not under stress is representative of a local surface temperature of each semiconductor device of the pair of semiconductor devices when subjected to stress, wherein the reference MOSFET and the pair of semiconductor devices are disposed on a singulation scribe line of the substrate. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the local surface temperature of each semiconductor device of the pair of semiconductor devices under stress is determined as a function of drain current values of the reference MOSFET measured before applying stress to the pair of semiconductor devices and while the pair of semiconductor devices are under stress. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the stress is thermal stress. 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the stress is thermally enhanced electrical stress. 13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising at least one heater disposed above the substrate and adjacent to the pair of semiconductor devices under stress. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one heater is made of polysilicon or other material. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each semiconductor device of the pair of the semiconductor devices under stress is a MOSFET. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each semiconductor device of the pair of the semiconductor devices under stress shares a source electrode with the reference MOSFET. 17. A method for measuring temperature, comprising: providing a reference MOSFET not under stress, disposed above a substrate and adjacent to a semiconductor device; measuring a first drain current value of the reference MOSFET; applying stress to the semiconductor device; measuring a second drain current value of the reference MOSFET while the semiconductor device is under stress; and determining a local surface temperature of the reference MOSFET as a function of the first and second drain current values of the reference MOSFET, wherein the reference MOSFET and semiconductor device are disposed on a singulation scribe line of the substrate. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the stress is thermal stress. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the stress is thermally enhanced electrical stress. 20. The method of claim 17 wherein applying stress to the semiconductor device comprises: ramping up a temperature to a desired temperature; and applying electrical stress at the desired temperature. 21. A method for measuring temperature, comprising; providing an unstressed reference MOSFET, disposed above a substrate and between and adjacent to a pair of semiconductor devices; measuring a first drain current value of the reference MOSFET; applying stress to the pair of semiconductor devices; measuring a second drain current value of the reference MOSFET while the pair of semiconductor devices is under stress; and determining a local surface temperature of the reference MOSFET which is not under stress as a function of the first and second drain current values of the MOSFET. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the stress is thermal stress. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the stress is thermally enhanced electrical stress. 24. The method of claim 22 wherein applying stress to the semiconductor devices comprises: ramping up a temperature to a desired temperature; and applying electrical stress at the desired temperature.