Circuit device having a semiconductor component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9275915-B2
Application number	US-201013513758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2010
Priority date	Dec 8, 2009
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

An electrical circuit device includes a semiconductor component which has power terminals and a control terminal electrically insulated from the power terminals, for applying a control voltage, and a control terminal contact surface for contacting the control terminal for measuring the electrical behavior of the semiconductor component. A connection device is provided, via which the control terminal is electrically connectable to a series device, the connection device being transferable from a nonconductive state into a conductive state, in which the control terminal is connected to the series device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical circuit device, comprising:
a semiconductor component having two power terminals and a control terminal for applying a control voltage, wherein the control terminal is electrically insulated from the two power terminals;
a control terminal contact surface for contacting the control terminal for measuring an electrical behavior of the semiconductor component; and
a connection device via which the control terminal is selectively electrically connected to a series device, wherein the connection device is switched from a nonconductive state, in which the control terminal is not electrically connected to the series device, into a conductive state, in which the control terminal is electrically connected to the series device;
wherein the connection device includes an actuator which is configured to be selectively switched between a blocking state for measuring the semiconductor component and a conductive state for connecting the control terminal to the series device,
wherein the semiconductor component is one of a MOSFET or an IGBT, and wherein the control terminal is a gate which is separated from the two power terminals by a gate insulation layer,
wherein the connection device is irreversibly switched from the nonconductive state into the conductive state,
wherein the connection device includes an antifuse which is transferred into the conductive state by applying a power pulse, with at least partial destruction of an internal structure at one of an insulation layer or a semiconductor transition, and
wherein the circuit device is an integrated circuit, wherein the control terminal is implemented in a form of at least one metal layer, wherein the antifuse is at least a part of the insulation layer which separates and insulates the at least one metal layer from another conductive later, and wherein the insulation later includes a burning section area which is (i) configured to be destroyed by applying the power pulse and (ii) filled using metal of the at least one metal later.

2. The circuit device as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a signal contact surface for activating the actuator, wherein the signal contact surface is selectively contacted for inputting a switching signal, and wherein the actuator is in a conductive state in the non-contacted state of the signal contact surface.

3. The circuit device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
a control input of the actuator is (i) connected to a first potential via a second connection device which is reversibly switched from a nonconductive state into a conductive state, and (ii) connected to a second potential via a resistance device;
in the nonconductive state of the second connection device, the control input to which the second potential is applied keeps the actuator in the blocking state; and
in the conductive state of the second connection device, the control input of the actuator is connected to the first potential for setting the conductive state of the actuator.

4. The circuit device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
a control input of the actuator is (i) connected to a first potential via a second connection device which is reversibly switched from a conductive state into a nonconductive state, and (ii) connected to a second potential via a resistance device;
in the conductive state of the second connection device, the control input to which the first potential is applied keeps the actuator in the blocking state; and
in the conductive state of the second connection device, the control input of the actuator is connected to the second potential for setting the conductive state of the actuator.

5. The circuit device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the control terminal contact surface is provided for at least one of (i) measuring a gate leakage current and (ii) carrying out a gate stress test to ascertain a voltage breakdown of the gate insulation layer.

6. The circuit device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the series device is at least one of (i) a clamping structure for delimiting the control voltage in relation to the power terminals and (ii) an activation circuit for activating the control terminal of the semiconductor component.

7. The circuit device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the burning section of the insulation layer is thinner than the gate insulation layer of the semiconductor component.

8. The circuit device as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a measuring contact surface which is (i) separate from the control terminal contact surface and (ii) selectively contacted to apply the power pulse between the measuring contact surface and the control terminal contact surface.

9. The circuit device as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a measuring contact surface which is selectively contacted to apply the power pulse between the measuring contact surface and the control terminal contact surface, wherein the measuring contact surface is integrated into the control terminal contact surface, and both the measuring contact surface and the control terminal contact surface are jointly contacted after the switching of the connection device into the conductive state.

10. A method for testing a semiconductor component, comprising:
contacting at least one control terminal contact surface using an electrode;
at least one of (i) measuring a control terminal leakage current and (ii) carrying out a control terminal stress test by applying a breakdown voltage via the contacted control terminal contact surface and one of another contact surface or a power terminal of the semiconductor component; and
switching a connection device from a nonconductive initial state into a conductive state in which a control terminal of the semiconductor component is connected to a series device;
wherein the semiconductor component is one of a MOSFET or an IGBT, and wherein the control terminal is a gate which is separated from the power terminal by a gate insulation layer,
wherein the connection device is irreversibly switched from the nonconductive state into the conductive state,
wherein the connection device includes an antifuse which is transferred into the conductive state by applying a power pulse, with at least partial destruction of an internal structure at one of an insulation layer or a semiconductor transition, and
wherein the control terminal is implemented in a form of at least one metal layer, wherein the antifuse is at least a part of the insulation layer which separates and insulates the at least one metal layer from another conductive layer, and wherein the insulation layer includes a burning section area which is (i) configured to be destroyed by applying the power pulse and (ii) filled using metal of the at least one metal layer.

Assignees

• Heinisch Holger
• Joos Joachim
• Jacke Thomas
• Foerster Christian
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Heinisch Holger
• Joos Joachim
• Jacke Thomas
• Foerster Christian

Classifications

• H10P74/207

  Electrical properties, e.g. testing or measuring of resistance, deep levels or capacitance-voltage characteristics · CPC title

• H10W20/491

  Antifuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from non-conductive to conductive · CPC title

• H10P74/232 Primary

  comprising connection or disconnection of parts of a device in response to a measurement · CPC title

• G01R31/2884

  using dedicated test connectors, test elements or test circuits on the IC under test (G01R31/2855 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01L22/22 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic