A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor element; a laminated substrate including an insulating plate and a circuit board which is arranged on the front surface of the insulating plate and on which the semiconductor element is arranged; a lead terminal provided via solder in a major electrode of the front surface of the semiconductor element; and a sealing resin for sealing the semiconductor element, the laminated substrate, and the lead terminal, wherein a value of Young's modulus of the sealing resin(linear expansion coefficient of the lead terminallinear expansion coefficient of the sealing resin) is equal to or greater than 2610.sup.3 (Pa/ C.) and equal to or less than 5010.sup.3 (Pa/ C.).

Metal pillars are placed adjacent to NPN transistor arrays that are used in the power amplifier for RF power generation. By placing the metal pillars in intimate contact with the silicon substrate, the heat generated by the NPN transistor arrays flows down into the silicon substrate and out the metal pillar. The metal pillar also forms an electrical ground connection in close proximity to the NPN transistors to function as a grounding point for emitter ballast resistors, which form an optimum electrothermal configuration for a linear SiGe power amplifier.

Metal pillars are placed adjacent to NPN transistor arrays that are used in the power amplifier for RF power generation. By placing the metal pillars in intimate contact with the silicon substrate, the heat generated by the NPN transistor arrays flows down into the silicon substrate and out the metal pillar. The metal pillar also forms an electrical ground connection in close proximity to the NPN transistors to function as a grounding point for emitter ballast resistors, which form an optimum electrothermal configuration for a linear SiGe power amplifier.

Solder bumps are placed in direct contact with the silicon substrate of an amplifier integrated circuit having a flip chip configuration. A plurality of amplifier transistor arrays generate waste heat that promotes thermal run away of the amplifier if not directed out of the integrated circuit. The waste heat flows through the thermally conductive silicon substrate and out the solder bump to a heat-sinking plane of an interposer connected to the amplifier integrated circuit via the solder bumps.

Metal pillars are placed adjacent to NPN transistor arrays that are used in the power amplifier for RF power generation. By placing the metal pillars in intimate contact with the silicon substrate, the heat generated by the NPN transistor arrays flows down into the silicon substrate and out the metal pillar. The metal pillar also forms an electrical ground connection in close proximity to the NPN transistors to function as a grounding point for emitter ballast resistors, which form an optimum electrothermal configuration for a linear SiGe power amplifier.

Techniques related to a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit on a wafer comprises a first device of the integrated circuit is formed on the wafer and a second device of the integrated circuit is formed on the wafer to make a projection area of the second device overlap with a projection area of the first device partially or completely. In one embodiment, two or more devices are formed in different layers of the integrated circuit, or formed at different depths in a same layer of the integrated circuit, so the two or more devices may share an area on the same wafer in a certain manner. Thereby, the area of the chip is saved and the chip cost of the integrated circuit is significantly reduced.

A semiconductor device may include a voltage generator configured to generate a first base-emitter voltage of a first bipolar junction transistor, and a failure detector configured to generate a failure signal by comparing the first base-emitter voltage with an upper limit reference voltage and a lower limit reference voltage. The failure detector may include a second bipolar junction transistor a current source configured to generate a bias current, a first resistor coupled between the current source and a emitter of the second bipolar junction transistor to generate the upper limit reference voltage, a second resistor and a third resistor configured to divide a second base-emitter voltage of the second bipolar junction transistor to generate the lower limit reference voltage, and a first and second comparator configured to compare the first base-emitter voltage with the upper limit reference voltage and the lower limit reference voltage, respectively, to generate respective failure signals.

A three terminal high voltage Darlington bipolar transistor power switching device includes two high voltage bipolar transistors, with collectors connected together serving as the collector terminal. The base of the first high voltage bipolar transistor serves as the base terminal. The emitter of the first high voltage bipolar transistor connects to the base of the second high voltage bipolar transistor (inner base), and the emitter of the second high voltage bipolar transistor serves as the emitter terminal. A diode has its anode connected to the inner base (emitter of the first high voltage bipolar transistor, or base of the second high voltage bipolar transistor), and its cathode connected to the base terminal. Similarly, a three terminal hybrid MOSFET/bipolar high voltage switching device can be formed by replacing the first high voltage bipolar transistor of the previous switching device by a high voltage MOSFET.

A transistor device includes an individual transistor cell arranged in a transistor cell field on a semiconductor body, the individual transistor cell having a gate electrode. The transistor device further includes a gate contact, electrically coupled to the gate electrode and configured to switch on the individual transistor cell by providing a gate current in a first direction and configured to switch off the individual transistor cell by providing a gate current in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. The transistor device also includes a gate-resistor structure monolithically integrated in the transistor device. The gate-resistor structure provides a first resistance for the gate current when the gate current flows in the first direction, and provides a second resistance for the gate current, which is different from the first resistance, when the gate current flows in the second direction.

An ESD protection element can have a high ESD protection characteristic which has a desired breakdown voltage and flows a large discharge current. A junction diode is formed by an N+ type buried layer having a proper impurity concentration and a P+ type buried layer. The P+ type buried layer is combined with a P+ type drawing layer to penetrate an N type epitaxial layer and be connected to an anode element. An N+ type diffusion layer and a P+ typed diffusion layer connected to an surrounding the N+ type diffusion layer are formed in the N epitaxial layer surrounded by the P+ type buried layer etc. The N+ type diffusion layer and P+ type diffusion layer are connected to a cathode electrode. An ESD protection element is formed by the PN junction diode and a parasitic PNP bipolar transistor which uses the P+ type diffusion layer as an emitted, the N type epitaxial layer as the base, and the P+ type drawing layer etc. as the collector.