Temperature measuring sensor incorporated in semiconductor substrate, and semiconductor device containing such temperature measuring sensor

1. A temperature measuring sensor that is incorporated in a substrate of a semiconductor device to measure a real temperature of said substrate, which sensor comprises:

a semiconductor diode formed in said substrate; and

a resistor formed in said substrate and connected to said semiconductor diode in series,

wherein

a first forward constant current is supplied to said semiconductor diode through said resistor such that a potential difference V A1 is produced between terminal ends of both said semiconductor diode and said resistor connected in series, and such that a potential difference V F1 is produced between terminal ends of said semiconductor diode;

a second forward constant current is supplied to said semiconductor diode through said resistor such that a potential difference V A2 is produced between terminal ends of both said semiconductor diode and said resistor connected in series, and such that a potential difference V F2 is produced between terminal ends of said semiconductor diode; and

the measurement of said real temperature is carried out based on said four potential differences V A1 , V F1 , V A2 and V F2 .

2. A temperature measuring sensor as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the real temperature T of the substrate of said semiconductor device is calculated by the following formula:

T =( q/k )( V F1 −V F2 )[1/[ln(( V A1 −V F1 )/( V A2 −V F2 ))]]

herein: T is an absolute temperature, k is Boltzmann's constant, and q is an electron charge.

3. A temperature measuring sensor as set forth in claim 1 , wherein further comprising three electrode pads formed on said substrate to thereby detect said potential differences (V A1 and V F1 ; V A2 and V F2 ), said semiconductor diode having a first terminal and a second terminal, said resistor having a first end connected to the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, one of said three electrode pads being connected to a conductive lead extending from the first terminal of said semiconductor diode at a location in the vicinity of the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, another electrode pad being connected to a conductive lead extending from the second terminal of said semiconductor diode at a location in the vicinity of the second terminal of said semiconductor diode, the remaining electrode pad being connected to a conductive lead extending from a second end of said resistor, which is remote from the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, at a location in the vicinity of the second end of said resistor.

4. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate on which a main circuit section is defined; and

a temperature measuring sensor incorporated in said semiconductor substrate so as to measure a real temperature of said semiconductor substrate,

said temperature measuring sensor including:

a semiconductor diode formed in said semiconductor substrate; and

a resistor formed in said semiconductor substrate and connected to said semiconductor diode in series,

wherein

a first forward constant current is supplied to said semiconductor diode through said resistor such that a potential difference V A1 is produced between terminal ends of both said semiconductor diode and said resistor connected in series, and such that a potential difference V F1 is produced between terminal ends of said semiconductor diode;

a second forward constant current is supplied to said semiconductor diode through said resistor such that a potential difference V A2 is produced between terminal ends of both said semiconductor diode and said resistor connected in series, and such that a potential difference V F2 is produced between terminal ends of said semiconductor diode; and

the measurement of said real temperature is carried out based on said four potential differences V A1 , V F1 , V A2 and V F2 .

5. A semiconductor device as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the real temperature T of the substrate of said semiconductor device is calculated by the following formula:

T =( q/k )( V F1 −V F2 )[1/[ln(( V A1 −V F1 )/( V A2 −V F2 ))]]

herein: T is an absolute temperature, k is Boltzmann's constant, and q is an electron charge.

6. A semiconductor device as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising three electrode pads formed on said substrate to thereby detect said potential differences (V A1 and V F1 ; V A2 and V F2 ), said semiconductor diode having a first terminal and a second terminal, said resistor having a first end connected to the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, one of said three electrode pads being connected to a conductive lead extending from the first terminal of said semiconductor diode at a location in the vicinity of the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, another electrode pad being connected to a conductive lead extending from the second terminal of said semiconductor diode at a location in the vicinity of the second terminal of said semiconductor diode, the remaining electrode pad being connected to a conductive lead extending from a second end of said resistor, which is remote from the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, at a location in the vicinity of the second end of said resistor.

7. A temperature measuring method of measuring a temperature of a semiconductor substrate, using a temperature measuring sensor incorporated therein, said temperature measuring sensor having a semiconductor diode formed in said semiconductor substrate, and a resistor formed in said semiconductor substrate and connected to said semiconductor diode in series, which method comprises:

supplying a first forward constant current to said semiconductor diode through said resistor such that a potential difference V A1 is produced between terminal ends of both said semiconductor diode and said resistor connected in series, and such that a potential difference V F1 is produced between terminal ends of said semiconductor diode;

supplying a second forward constant current to said semiconductor diode through said resistor such that a potential difference V A2 is produced between terminal ends of both said semiconductor diode and said resistor connected in series, and such that a potential difference V F2 is produced between terminal ends of said semiconductor diode; and

calculating a real temperature T of the semiconductor substrate based on said potential differences V A1 , V F1 , V A2 , and V F2 .

8. A temperature measuring method as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the calculation of the real temperature of said semiconductor substrate is carried out by the following formula:

T =( q/k )( V F1 −V F2 )[1/[ln(( V A1 −V F1 )/( V A2 −V F2 ))]]

herein: T is an absolute temperature, k is Boltzmann's constant, and q is an electron charge.

9. A temperature measuring method as set forth in claim 7 , wherein said temperature measuring sensor further comprises three electrode pads formed on said substrate to thereby detect said potential differences (V A1 and V F1 ; V A2 and V F2 ), said semiconductor diode having a first terminal and a second terminal, said resistor having a first end connected to the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, one of said three electrode pads being connected to a conductive lead extending from the first terminal of said semiconductor diode at a location in the vicinity of the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, another electrode pad being connected to a conductive lead extending from the second terminal of said semiconductor diode at a location in the vicinity of the second terminal of said semiconductor diode, the remaining electrode pad being connected to a conductive lead extending from a second end of said resistor, which is remote from the first terminal of said semiconductor diode, at a location in the vicinity of the second end of said resistor.