A circuit device can be implemented, which includes a zener diode barrier composed of one or more zener diodes. The circuit device further includes one or more detection circuits electronically in series with the zener diode (or zener diodes) of the zener diode barrier. The zener diode barrier functions as an IS (Intrinsically Safe) barrier. The detection circuit (or circuits) facilitates the production of detailed information concerning different types of events detected by the detection circuit(s).

A system, method and apparatus for measuring carrier lifetime of a device comprises subjecting a test device to a voltage via a voltage source associated with the test system, disconnecting the test device from the voltage source, measuring the voltage as a function of time, measuring the current as a function of time, and determining a carrier lifetime of the test piece according to the slope of the measured voltage and the measured current.

A wafer test probe system, probe card, and method to test back-to-back connected first and second transistors of a wafer. The probe card includes a waveform generator circuit and probe needles to couple the waveform generator circuit to provide a first pulse signal of a first polarity using a body diode of the first transistor to test the second transistor, and to provide a second pulse signal of a second polarity using a body diode of the second transistor to the test the first transistor. One example includes a resistor connected between the waveform generator circuit and one of the probe needles. The probe card includes a probe needle to connect a sense transistor of the wafer to the first transistor during wafer probe testing.

A method for inspecting electronic components and an electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes electronic elements, signal lines, an inspection structure, a substrate and a first driving element electrically connected to the signal lines. The signal lines include a first and a second signal lines. The electronic components include a first group of electronic components electrically connected to the first signal line and a second group of electronic components electrically connected to the second signal line. The first signal line has a first portion overlapping a first inspection region and a second portion overlapping the first driving element. The second signal line has a third portion overlapping a second inspection region and a fourth portion overlapping the first driving element. A distance between the second portion and the fourth portion is smaller than a distance between the first portion and the third portion.

A switching amplifier includes a power device and a processing device. The power device is configured for powering a load and is comprised of a plurality of switches. The processing device configured to calculate a switch junction temperature for a bonding wire in each switch based at least in part on a power loss of each switch; generate a first accumulated fatigue damage of the bonding wire in each switch based on the switch junction temperature; and generate an estimated remaining lifetime of the switching amplifier based on the first accumulated fatigue damages of the bonding wires in each switch.

The invention relates to a characterization device for a power diode including: first and second power supply nodes; a power supply (including a first voltage source connected to the first node; a second voltage source; a first resistor connected in series between the second voltage source and said second node; and a controlled switch for selectively connecting the second node to a potential lower than a first potential); and a voltage clipping circuit (including a third voltage source; a second resistor and a first diode connected in series between the third voltage source and said second node; and a measurement terminal, connected to an intermediate node between the second resistor and the first diode).

A diode voltage measurement system includes a plurality of diodes connected in series along a single line. The plurality of diodes include N diodes. The system includes a plurality of capacitors for at least N?1 of the diodes. Each capacitor is connected in parallel to the single line with a respective diode to form a respective diode-capacitor (DC) pair. Each DC pair is configured such that each DC pair reaches a steady state voltage at a different time. The system includes a current supply connected to the single line to supply a current to the line. The system includes a control module configured to sense a total voltage across the single line and to successively determine voltage of each diode from the total voltage based on the current, a known total steady state voltage, and known time-to-steady-state-voltages of each DC pair and/or diode.

A circuit device can be implemented, which includes a zener diode barrier composed of one or more zener diodes. The circuit device further includes one or more detection circuits electronically in series with the zener diode (or zener diodes) of the zener diode barrier. The zener diode barrier functions as an IS (Intrinsically Safe) barrier. The detection circuit (or circuits) facilitates the production of detailed information concerning different types of events detected by the detection circuit(s).

A semiconductor element test apparatus includes a first switch having a switching element, a coil, a second switch, a semiconductor element, a first rectifying element, and a second rectifying element. The first switch, the coil, and the second switch are connected in series to a power source. The semiconductor element is disposed to configure a loop path along with the coil and the second switch when the switching element is switched off. The semiconductor element has a diode element. A cathode electrode of the diode element is connected to a positive electrode of the power source. The second rectifying element is connected to the first rectifying element in series, and has a rectification direction opposite to a rectification direction of the first rectifying element. The first rectifying element and the second rectifying element configure, along with the coil, another loop path which is different from the loop path.

A device for providing power to a light arrangement (1) having a current conducting state and a current blocking state. The device comprises a storage circuit (2) with a capacitor (21) coupled to the light arrangement (1) and a resistor (22) located in parallel to the capacitor, a first determination circuit (3) for determining the state of the lighting arrangement, a second determination circuit (4) for, in the current blocking state, determining points of two discharging curves of the storage circuit, a derivation circuit (5) for deriving a condition of the storage circuit, such as life-end, from the discharging curves, a switch circuit (6) comprising an element (61), wherein the switch circuit is configured to switch the element (61) in parallel to the capacitor (21), whereby a first discharging curve is determined with the element being disconnected from the capacitor and a second discharging curve is determined with the element being connected to the capacitor, the capacitor discharging via both the resistor (22) and the element (61). The element (61) may comprise a resistor, a capacitor or an inductor.