Semiconductor device, method of manufacturing the same, and signal transmitting/receiving method using the semiconductor device
View Patent ↗A semiconductor device ( 100 ) including: a semiconductor substrate including a semiconductor chip formation region ( 102 ); a chip internal circuit ( 124 ); a signal transmitting/receiving inductor ( 114 ) which transmits/receives a signal to/from an outside in a non-contact manner by electromagnetic induction, and transmits/receives a signal to/from the chip internal circuit ( 124 ) through electrical connection to the chip internal circuit ( 124 ); and a power receiving inductor ( 112 ) which has a diameter provided along an outer edge of the semiconductor chip formation region ( 102 ) so as to surround the chip internal circuit ( 124 ) and the signal transmitting/receiving inductor ( 114 ), receives a power supply signal from the outside in the non-contact manner, and is electrically connected to the chip internal circuit ( 124 ). Accordingly, power supply can be sufficiently made in the non-contact manner while limiting an increase in chip size when various signals are transmitted/received in the non-contact manner.
1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate including a semiconductor chip formation region;
a chip internal circuit provided within the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate;
a signal transmitting/receiving unit which is provided within the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate, transmits/receives a signal to/from an outside in a non-contact manner by one of electromagnetic induction and capacitive coupling, and transmits/receives a signal to/from the chip internal circuit through electrical connection to the chip internal circuit; and
a power receiving inductor which has a diameter provided along an outer edge of the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate so as to surround the chip internal circuit and the signal transmitting/receiving unit, receives a power supply signal from the outside in the non-contact manner, and is electrically connected to the chip internal circuit,
wherein said signal transmitting/receiving unit transmits/receives said signal to/from said outside in said non-contact manner without using said power receiving inductor.
2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of ones of the signal transmitting/receiving unit provided within the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate.
3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitting/receiving unit comprises an inductor having a smaller diameter compared with that of the power receiving inductor.
4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate further comprises a scribe line region provided around the semiconductor chip formation region, and
wherein the power receiving inductor is formed in the scribe line region of the semiconductor substrate.
5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a seal ring provided so as to surround the chip internal circuit and the signal transmitting/receiving unit in the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate,
wherein the power receiving inductor is provided around the seal ring.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply circuit which is provided between the power receiving inductor and the chip internal circuit while being electrically connected thereto in the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate, and converts the power supply signal received by the power receiving inductor to supply power to the chip internal circuit.
7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a conversion circuit which is provided in the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate correspondingly to the signal transmitting/receiving unit, is provided between the signal transmitting/receiving unit and the chip internal circuit while being electrically connected thereto, and converts the signal transmitted/received between the chip internal circuit and the outside.
8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a bonding pad which is provided in the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate correspondingly to the signal transmitting/receiving unit while being electrically connected to the chip internal circuit, is connected to a bonding wire, and inputs/outputs the signal transmitted/received between the chip internal circuit and the outside through the bonding wire.
9. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply bonding pad which is provided in the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate while being electrically connected to the chip internal circuit, is connected to a bonding wire, and inputs power supplied from an external power supply circuit through the bonding wire.
10. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power supply circuit, said power receiving inductor being connected to said chip internal circuit through said power supply circuit.
11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulating layer provided on the semiconductor substrate, said power receiving inductor being disposed within said insulating layer.
12. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitting/receiving unit comprises a plurality of signal transmitting/receiving inductors, and
wherein said chip internal circuit comprises a plurality of transistors that correspond to the plurality of signal transmitting/receiving inductors.
13. The semiconductor device according to claim 12 , further comprising a conversion circuit which is provided in the semiconductor chip formation region of the semiconductor substrate,
wherein gates of the transistors are connected to the signal transmitting/receiving inductors through the conversion circuit.
14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13 , wherein the conversion circuit demodulates an electrical signal converted by the signal transmitting/receiving unit, and supplies the demodulated electrical signal to the chip internal circuit.
15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the conversion circuit modulates the electrical signal that is supplied from the chip internal circuit, and supplies the modulated electrical signal to the signal transmitting/receiving unit.
16. The semiconductor device according to claim 15 , wherein the signal transmitting/receiving unit outputs the modulated electrical signal as a radio wave to a corresponding signal transmitting/receiving inductor placed in said outside.