Integrated circuit including a temperature monitor element and thermal conducting layer

1. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a temperature monitor element which is connected between two wires and whose electric resistance changes according to a temperature; and

a thermal conducting layer containing a metal and/or an alloy provided at least one of above and under said temperature monitor element and overlying a region one of equal to and greater than a half of said temperature monitor element as seen from a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said temperature monitor element,

wherein said thermal conducting layer provides a uniform temperature to said temperature monitor element.

2. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein wires not connected to said temperature monitor element and said thermal conducting layer are provided outside of a space defined between said temperature monitor element and said thermal conducting layer.

3. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein said thermal conducting layer is provided under said temperature monitor element.

4. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein said thermal conducting layer comprises:

a first portion located at one of a region lying directly above, and a region lying directly under, said temperature monitor element; and

a second portion coupled to said first portion and located at one of a region off said region lying directly above, and said region lying directly under, said temperature monitor element.

5. The integrated circuit device according to claim 4 , wherein at least a part of said second portion is provided sideways of said temperature monitor element.

6. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein said thermal conducting layer comprises at least one metal selected from a group consisting of aluminum, copper and titanium, an alloy of said metal, and an alloy essentially consisting of at least two metals from said group.

7. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein said temperature monitor element comprises vanadium oxide.

8. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein said thermal conducting layer is connected to said temperature monitor element.

9. The Integrated circuit device according to claim 1 , further comprising a substrate on which said temperature monitor element and said thermal conducting layer are provided and to which said thermal conducting layer is connected.

10. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a temperature monitor element which is connected between two wires and whose electric resistance changes according to a temperature;

a thermal conducting layer containing a metal and/or an alloy provided at least one of above and under said temperature monitor element and overlying a region one of equal to and greater than a half of said temperature monitor element as seen from a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said temperature monitor element;

a substrate;

a multi-layer wiring structure which is provided on said substrate and on which said temperature monitor element and said thermal conducting layer are provided; and

a logic circuit section provided at a top surface of said substrate and wiring layers located below a topmost layer of said multi-layer wiring structure, said temperature monitor element being provided at said topmost layer of said multi-layer wiring structure.

11. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a temperature monitor element which is connected between two wires and whose electric resistance changes according to a temperature;

a thermal conducting layer containing a metal and/or an alloy provided at least one of above and under said temperature monitor element and overlying a region one of equal to and greater than a half of said temperature monitor element as seen from a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said temperature monitor element; and

a insulating material,

wherein said temperature monitor element, said two wires, and said thermal conductor layer are formed in said insulating material.

12. The integrated circuit device according to claim 11 , wherein heat is conducted through said thermal conducting layer and said insulating material to provide a uniform temperature to said temperature monitor element.

13. The integrated circuit device according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a substrate to which said thermal conducting layer is connected,

wherein heat accumulated in said thermal conducting layer can be discharged through said insulating material to said substrate.

14. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a temperature monitor element which is connected between two wires and whose electric resistance changes according to a temperature; and

a thermal conducting layer containing a metal and/or an ahoy provided at least one of above and under said temperature monitor element and overlying a region one of equal to and greater than a half of said temperature monitor element as seen from a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said temperature monitor element,

wherein said thermal conducting layer is connected to said temperature monitoring element to permit heat accumulated in said thermal conducting layer to be discharged to said temperature monitoring element.

15. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a temperature monitor element which is connected between two wires and whose electric resistance changes according to a temperature;

a thermal conducting layer containing a metal and/or an alloy provided at least one of above and under said temperature monitor element and overlying a region one of equal to and greater than a half of said temperature monitor element as seen from a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said temperature monitor element; and

a substrate to which said thermal conducting layer is connected,

wherein heat accumulated in said thermal conducting layer can be discharged to said substrate.

16. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a temperature monitor element which is connected between two wires and whose electric resistance changes according to a temperature;

a thermal conducting layer containing a metal and/or an alloy provided at least one of above and under said temperature monitor element and overlying a region one of equal to and greater than a half of said temperature monitor element as seen from a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said temperature monitor element; and

a logic circuit provided at an upper surface portion of said substrate and connected to said temperature monitor element,

wherein said logic circuit provides at least one of data processing of a signal from said temperature monitor element, and storing of data processed from said temperature monitor element.

17. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a temperature monitor element which is connected between two wires and whose electric resistance changes according to a temperature;

a thermal conducting layer comprising a metal provided at least one of above and under said temperature monitor element and overlying a region one of equal to and greater than a half of said temperature monitor element as seen from a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said temperature monitor element; and

an insulating material, said temperature monitor element and said thermal conducting layer formed in said insulating material,

wherein heat is transferred to said temperature monitor from the thermal conducting layer via said insulating material disposed between said temperature monitor and said thermal conducting layer.

18. The integrated circuit device according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a logic circuit connected to said temperature monitor element and formed in said insulating material,

wherein said logic circuit provides at least one of data processing of a signal from said temperature monitor element, and storing of data processed from said temperature monitor element.