A method analyzes an operation of a power semiconductor device. The method includes: providing a set of reference voltages of the power semiconductor device and a set of corresponding reference currents; measuring an on-state voltage and a corresponding on-state current of the power semiconductor device to obtain a measurement point; adapting the set of reference voltages by adapting two of the set of reference voltages lying closest to the measurement point by extrapolating the measurement point; and using the adapted set of reference voltages to analyze the operation of the power semiconductor device. The extrapolation is based on a predefined reference increment current and a predefined reference increment voltage.

Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide calibration for a chip-based temperature sensor. Two or more measurements are taken using a high resolution temperature sensor digitizer, and used to determine a calibration for the temperature sensor, based on a reference temperature value calculated from the measurements.

A system may include a device configured to be implanted within a recipient and that includes an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a first node configured to provide a bandgap reference voltage and a second node configured to provide a CTAT voltage. The first node may be coupled to a first input of an ADC and the second node may be coupled to a second input of the ADC. The system may also include a processor communicatively coupled to an output of the ADC. The processor may be configured to determine, based on the output of the ADC, the CTAT voltage. The processor may be further configured to determine, based on the CTAT voltage, a temperature of the device.

A semiconductor device that can detect temperature appropriately is provided. A semiconductor device provided with a semiconductor substrate in which one or more transistor portions and one or more diode portions are provided is provided, including: a temperature detecting portion provided above the top surface of the semiconductor substrate and having a longitudinal side in a predetermined longitudinal direction; a top surface electrode provided above the top surface of the semiconductor substrate; and one or more external lines that have a connecting part connected with the top surface electrode and electrically connect the top surface electrode to a circuit outside the semiconductor device. The temperature detecting portion extends across the one or more transistor portions and the one or more diode portions in the longitudinal direction, and the connecting part of at least one of the external lines is arranged around the temperature detecting portion when seen from above.

A device for determining a temperature of a semiconductor power switch with a built-in temperature-dependent gate resistor may include a non-inverting amplifier circuit comprising an operational amplifier and a feedback resistor. Inverting input of the operational amplifier may be connected to the semiconductor power switch such that a gain of the non-inverting amplifier circuit in a predefined frequency range of an input signal depends on the built-in temperature-dependent gate resistor and the feedback resistor and is a measure of the temperature of the semiconductor power switch. The feedback resistor may be disposed between a negative input and an output of the operational amplifier.

An on-die temperature sensor measures temperature during a temperature-measurement session. A PTAT (proportional-to-absolute-temperature) generator generates an analog PTAT voltage that is dependent on temperature. A ramp generator generates a changing, analog ramp voltage whose rate of change is dependent on the PTAT voltage, such that the rate of change of the ramp voltage is dependent on the temperature. A comparator compares the ramp voltage to a reference voltage to detect termination of the temperature-measurement session. A counter generates a count value based on the duration of the temperature-measurement session, where the count value is mapped to the measured temperature using a lookup table. The PTAT generator has (i) two npn-type bipolar devices that generate a base-to-emitter voltage difference that is dependent on temperature and function as an amplifier input stage and (ii) circuitry to generate base currents for the bipolar devices to avoid current loading at the PTAT output.

Systems and methods for sensing temperature on a chip are described herein. In one embodiment, a temperature sensor comprises a first transistor having a gate, a second transistor having a gate coupled to the gate of the first transistor, and a bias circuit configured to bias the gates of the first and second transistors such that the first and second transistors operate in a sub-threshold region, and to generate a current proportional to a difference between a gate-to-source voltage of the first transistor and a gate-to-source voltage of the second transistor. The temperature sensor also comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the current into a digital temperature reading.

A system, method and machine-readable instructions for monitoring a power electronics device. The system involves a semiconductor device, at least one sensor and a processor. The processor is configured to monitor a junction temperature of the semiconductor device by determining from the at least one sensor an on-state resistance of the semiconductor device and calculating the junction temperature of the semiconductor device according to a relationship between the on-state resistance of the semiconductor device and the junction temperature of the semiconductor device. The processor may apply an ageing coefficient to the on-state resistance.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate of silicon carbide, and a temperature sensor portion. The semiconductor substrate includes a portion in which an n-type drift region and a p-type body region are laminated. The temperature sensor portion is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and is separated from the drift region by the body region. The temperature sensor portion includes an n-type cathode region being in contact with the body region, and a p-type anode region separated from the body region by the cathode region.

There is provided a system and method for automatically calibrating a temperature sensor. More specifically, there is provided a system including a temperature sensor that includes a first resistance configured to indicate a temperature of the temperature sensor and a second resistance, in series with the first resistor, wherein the second resistance is adjustable to calibrate the first resistance, and a calibration circuit, coupled to the temperature sensor and configured to automatically calibrate the first resistance.