Semiconductor device and method of forming a semiconductor device

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a carrier having two main surfaces situated opposite one another;

a circuit, comprising at least one resistance element, in and/or on the carrier, wherein the at least one resistance element has a longitudinal axis extending vertically between the main surfaces of the carrier; and

a current limiting circuit configured to limit a current flowing through the resistance element to a value at which it is ensured that an electrical resistance of the resistance element remains substantially unchanged.

2. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one resistance element is formed as an RRAM element.

3. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the RRAM element is in an unformed state, in a formed high-resistance state or in a formed low-resistance state.

4. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one resistance element comprises two or more resistance elements connected or connectable in parallel.

5. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one resistance element comprises two or more resistance elements connected or connectable in series.

6. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the resistance of the resistance element is in a range of between 1 kΩ and 100 MΩ.

7. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the analog circuit comprises at least one additional circuit element.

8. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one additional circuit element comprises at least one circuit element selected from a group of circuit elements consisting of:

a capacitor;

a diode;

a transistor; and

an operational amplifier.

9. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit is formed as an analog circuit element selected from a group of analog circuits consisting of:

a filter;

a voltage divider;

a bias voltage generator;

a voltage-current converter;

a current-voltage converter;

a reference voltage source;

a reference current source;

a load;

an inverter;

a current limiter;

a noninverting amplifier;

a summing amplifier;

a subtracting amplifier;

an integrator; and

a differentiator.

10. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one resistance element is formed in a frontend insulating layer.

11. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one resistance element is formed in a backend insulating layer.

12. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit is an analog circuit.

13. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a main current flow passes along the vertical longitudinal axis.

14. A method for forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a carrier having two main surfaces situated opposite one another;

forming a circuit, comprising at least one resistance element, in and/or on the carrier, wherein the at least one resistance element has a longitudinal axis extending vertically between the main surfaces of the carrier; and

providing a current limiting circuit configured to limit a current flowing through the resistance element to a value at which it is ensured that an electrical resistance of the resistance element remains substantially unchanged.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the resistance element is formed as part of frontend processing.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the resistance element is formed as part of backend processing.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the at least one resistance element is formed as an RRAM element.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the RRAM element is in an unformed state.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 , furthermore comprising:

forming the RRAM element into a high-resistance state or into a low-resistance state;

wherein the current limiting circuit is provided after forming the RRAM element.