Closed loop temperature controlled circuit to improve device stability
An integrated circuit is provided having an active circuit. A heating element is adjacent to the active circuit and configured to heat the active circuit. A temperature sensor is also adjacent to the active circuit and configured to measure a temperature of the active circuit. A temperature controller is coupled to the active circuit and configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor. The temperature controller operates the heating element to heat the active circuit to maintain the temperature of the active circuit in a selected temperature range.
1. A structure, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
an active circuit in the semiconductor substrate;
a control unit in the semiconductor substrate;
a first dielectric layer over the active circuit and the control unit; and
a thin film element over the first dielectric layer, the thin film element electrically coupled to the control unit.
2. The structure according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of first metal lines over the first dielectric layer,
wherein the thin film element is positioned between two first metal lines of the plurality of first metal lines.
3. The structure according to claim 2 wherein the thin film element vertically overlaps one or more of the two first metal lines.
4. The structure according to claim 2 , comprising:
a second dielectric layer over the thin film element and the plurality of first metal lines; and
a plurality of second metal lines over the second dielectric layer.
5. The structure according to claim 4 , comprising an interconnect structure in the second dielectric layer, the interconnect structure coupling between a first metal line of the plurality of first metal lines and a second metal line of the plurality of second metal lines.
6. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to enable a current to flow through the thin film element.
7. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the thin film element includes tantalum aluminum alloy.
8. The structure according to claim 1 , comprising a temperature sensor in the semiconductor substrate, the temperature sensor electrically coupled to the control unit.
9. The structure of claim 8 wherein the temperature sensor is a bandgap temperature sensor.
10. The structure according to claim 8 wherein the temperature sensor is a resistive temperature sensor.
11. The circuit according to claim 8 wherein the first dielectric layer is over the active circuit and the temperature sensor.
12. The circuit of claim 11 comprising a current source circuitry coupled to the conductive thin film element and the temperature sensor.
13. A circuit, comprising:
an active circuit in a substrate;
a temperature sensor in the substrate;
a first dielectric layer over the active circuit and the temperature sensor;
a conductive thin film element over the first dielectric layer; and
a current source circuitry coupled to the conductive thin film element and the temperature sensor, the current source circuitry is configured to provide a current to flow through the conductive thin film element based on a reading of the temperature sensor.
14. The circuit of claim 13 wherein the current source circuitry is configured to vary a magnitude of the current to flow through the conductive thin film element based on the reading of the temperature sensor.
15. The circuit according to claim 13 wherein the conductive thin film element comprises tantalum aluminum alloy.
16. The circuit according to claim 13 wherein the temperature sensor is positioned adjacent to the active circuit.
17. The circuit according to claim 13 comprising a control unit in the substrate.
18. A structure, comprising:
a substrate;
an active circuit in the substrate;
a temperature sensor in the substrate;
a control unit in the substrate;
a first dielectric layer over the active circuit and the control unit;
a thin film element over the first dielectric layer, the thin film element electrically coupled to the control unit; and
a current source circuitry coupled to the thin film element and the temperature sensor.
19. The structure of claim 18 comprising a plurality of first metal lines over the first dielectric layer, the thin film element is between two first metal lines of the plurality of first metal lines.
20. The structure of claim 19 wherein the thin film element vertically overlaps one or more of the two first metal lines.