Thermal sensor arrangement and method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290873-A1
Application number	US-201514713183-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 15, 2015
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A temperature sensor arrangement in an integrated circuit (IC) includes a sensor array configured to determine a temperature of the IC. The sensor array includes a first transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal and a gate. The temperature sensor array further includes a guard ring region between the sensor array and another circuit of the IC. The guard ring region includes a transistor structure having a first terminal, a second terminal and a gate. The temperature sensor arrangement further includes a thermally conductive element connected to the transistor structure and a first terminal of the first transistor. The thermally conductive element is configured to provide a thermally conductive path from the transistor structure to the first terminal of the first transistor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A temperature sensor arrangement in an integrated circuit (IC), the temperature sensor arrangement comprising:
a sensor array configured to determine a temperature of the IC, wherein the sensor array comprises a first transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal and a gate; a guard ring region between the sensor array and another circuit of the IC, wherein the guard ring region comprises a transistor structure having a first terminal, a second terminal and a gate; and a thermally conductive element connected to the transistor structure and a first terminal of the first transistor, wherein the thermally conductive element is configured to provide a thermally conductive path from the transistor structure to the first terminal of the first transistor.

2 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the guard ring region surrounds a perimeter of the sensor array.

3 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the guard ring region is spaced from the sensor array.

4 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the sensor array comprises a plurality of second transistors, wherein each of the plurality of second transistors is part of a second device, the first transistor is part of a first device different from the second device.

5 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the first transistor and the plurality of second transistors are arranged in a centroid arrangement.

6 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the first transistor is one of a plurality of first transistors, and the plurality of first transistors and the plurality of second transistors are arranged in a matching arrangement.

7 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the thermally conductive element is connected to each of the plurality of second transistors.

8 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the guard ring region comprises at least one segment extending through the sensor array in a first direction.

9 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the guard ring region further comprises at least one segment extending through the sensor array in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

10 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the guard ring region also surrounds a perimeter of the sensor array.

11 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a plurality of line portions.

12 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a thermally conductive plate.

13 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive element is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal of the transistor structure.

14 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate conductive region between the sensor array and the guard ring region.

15 . The temperature sensor arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extends from the guard ring region to the intermediate conductive region, and the second portion extends from the intermediate conductive region to the first terminal of the first transistor.

16 . A method of making a temperature sensor arrangement, the method comprising:
forming a sensor array, wherein the sensor array comprises a first transistor of a first device, a plurality of second transistors of a second device different from the first device; forming a guard ring region between the sensor array and another circuit of an integrated circuit, wherein the guard ring region comprises a transistor structure; and forming a thermally conductive element between the sensor array and the guard ring region, wherein the thermally conductive element is connected to the transistor structure, the first transistor and each of the plurality of second transistors.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein forming the guard ring region comprises forming the guard ring region surrounding a perimeter of the sensor array.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein forming the guard ring region further comprises forming the guard ring region extending through the sensor array in a first direction.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein forming the guard ring region further comprises forming the guard ring region extending through the sensor array in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

20 . A system for designing a temperature sensor arrangement, the system comprising:
a processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium connected to the processor, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium comprises, and the processor is configured to execute the instructions for:
designing a sensor array, wherein the sensor array comprises a first transistor of a first device, a plurality of second transistors of a second device different from the first device;
designing a guard ring region between the sensor array and another circuit of an integrated circuit, wherein the guard ring region comprises a transistor structure; and
designing a thermally conductive element between the sensor array and the guard ring region, wherein the thermally conductive element is connected to the transistor structure, the first transistor and each of the plurality of second transistors.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Horng Jaw-Juinn
• Liu Szu-Lin

Classifications

• H10W29/01

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10W29/00

  Generic parts of integrated devices, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• H10W20/056

  by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches · CPC title

• H10W10/051

  of isolation region based on field-effect · CPC title

• H10W10/50 Primary

  Isolation regions based on field-effect · CPC title