JP2619466B2 - Semiconductor device, design support system for semiconductor device, and power supply system using semiconductor device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, a design support system for a semiconductor device, and a power supply system using the semiconductor device, and more particularly to an output stage corresponding to the magnitude of a load current. The present invention relates to a semiconductor device suitable for a power IC in which a current capacity of an element and its drive circuit must be appropriately designed, a semiconductor device design support system, and a power supply system using the semiconductor device.

[Conventional technology]

As a power IC in which the power element of the output stage, its drive circuit, and the signal circuit are configured in the same semiconductor chip,
PC eye 1987 Proceedings (1987.9)
Paragraphs 382 to 394 (PCI 1987 Proceedings pp382-394)
There is something as discussed in.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above prior art, as shown in FIG. 392, the output stage element section (HIGH POWER SECTION) and its drive circuit section (MEDIUM POWER SECTION) are configured as separate units. For this reason, this IC cannot be applied to applications with even higher current output, and the design of the output stage element must be changed. If the current capacity of the output stage element is increased, the current for driving the element must also be increased, and the drive circuit unit also needs to be changed in design at the same time. On the other hand, the IC shown in the prior art
The use of this IC is possible for applications with a smaller output current than the output current. However, as can be seen from the diagram on page 392 of the prior art, the output stage element section and its drive circuit section generally have power
Most of the chip area of IC. Therefore, in order to provide a low-cost power IC, it is important to provide an output stage element having a current capacity corresponding to the current supplied to the load and a drive circuit therefor. However, power ICs are used in a wide variety of applications, and if a power IC having an output stage element and its driving circuit is prepared according to the application, it is inevitable that the power IC will be diversified. In addition, if the design is performed each time according to the application, there is a problem that the explanation period is lengthened.

A first object of the present invention is to prepare a single type of output stage element and its driving circuit, and to eliminate the need for a new design according to the application and to be applicable to applications with different current capacities. Is to provide.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a design support system capable of easily designing this semiconductor device.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a versatile power supply system using the semiconductor device.

[Means for solving the problem]

The above object is achieved by manufacturing a semiconductor device having an output stage element for flowing a load current and a unit connected to a drive circuit thereof as a unit cell.

Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments.

[Action]

In the power IC, the parts that need to be changed according to the load current are the output stage element and its driving circuit. Therefore, if the unit cells described above are manufactured, loads of various current capacities can be handled simply by changing the number of unit cells connected in parallel according to the load current. For this reason, it is not necessary to newly design the output stage element and its driving circuit according to the load current. Furthermore,
The use of a single type of unit cell makes it possible to implement a power IC in accordance with the load current.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an output stage element section, and a collector-emitter current path is connected in series with a first power supply E and a load.
It is composed of NPN bipolar transistor Q _1. 2 is Q
₁ is a drive circuit section connected to a base which is a control terminal of a viper transistor for driving the first and second MOS field effect transistors (hereinafter referred to as MOS FET).
G is composed of Q ₂ and Q ₃ , and G is a signal circuit 4
This is an input terminal for inputting a signal from. Signal circuit 4
The forming a signal for transmitting a Q ₁ the ability to protect against overcurrent and over temperature, process the signals S ₁ to S _n to enter from the outside of the IC chip 3 by microcomputer or the like to the driving circuit section 2 However, description of the internal detailed configuration is omitted here. Reference numeral 3 surrounded by a broken line denotes an IC chip, which is constituted by a single semiconductor substrate. V _CC is a second control power supply for supplying power to the signal circuit 4 and the drive circuit unit 2. E is the main power supply, the output to the opening and closing of the stage elements Q ₁ supplies power to wake a connexion load R preferably output power (voltage and / or current) of the first power supply E and the second power supply V
_It is larger than the output power (voltage and / or current) of _CC .
FIG. 2 shows a device configuration example of the output stage element section 1 and the drive circuit section 2 in this embodiment. In the figure, the symbols Q ₁ , Q ₂ , Q ₃ and V _CC , G, E ₁ , E ₂ indicate the same elements or terminals as in FIG. The semiconductor device having the configuration as shown in FIG. 2 is applied as a unit cell to the IC chip 3 in FIG. According to this embodiment, the output stage element unit 1 and the drive circuit unit 2 can be provided very close to each other, and the inductance of the wiring between the two circuit units can be reduced. The drive current supplied to 1 rises steeply,
There is an effect that the semiconductor element in the output stage element section 1 can be opened and closed in a short time.

In the power IC, since the current supplied to the load flows, the loss generated in the output stage element portion 1 occupies about 80% of the loss in all chips. To improve the reliability of the IC.

In a power IC, the main power supply E shown in FIG. 1 is often 100 V or more.
If a semiconductor element to Q ₁ inner attempts to drive the drive circuit 2
The MOS EFT having the same withstand voltage as that of Q ₁ is required for Q ₂ and Q ₃ in FIG.
In general, as the withstand voltage of a semiconductor device increases, the internal voltage drop increases, and thus the loss of Q ₂ and Q ₃ increases. Therefore, and in the manner in the embodiment of Figure 1 to obtain the power supplied to the driving circuit unit 2 from the lower control voltage V _CC of voltage than the main power supply E.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment. In FIG. 3, a plurality of the unit cells shown in FIG. 2 are connected in parallel by wiring means to be integrated on a single semiconductor substrate, and the load current I ₀ is distributed to each output stage element portion 1. I am doing it. In other words, M shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are arranged in parallel on M (M ≧ 2) semiconductor substrates, and N of M (1 ≦ N) are set by wiring means.
≦ collector-emitter current path for Q ₁ in M) are connected in parallel, and the N input terminals are commonly connected to an output terminal (not shown) of the signal circuit 4. Since the power IC is used for various purposes, the magnitude of the load current to be passed through the output stage element section 1 also varies. However, as shown in this embodiment, the load current
By connecting and using the unit cells 5 in parallel according to the magnitude of I ₀ , it is not necessary to design a new output stage element unit 1 and a drive circuit unit 2, and only one type of unit cell 5 needs to be developed. an effect that can provide power IC with an appropriate current capacity according to great load current I _0.

In general, the load current in large applications I _0, the output stage element unit to increase the area of the switch element to Q ₁ in 1, this switch element Q ₂ of accompanied a connexion in the drive circuit unit 2 shown in FIG. 1, Q
Area of ₃ be increased to increase the drive current supplied to Q _1. However, as the area of Q ₁ is increased, partial variations occur in Q ₁ internal resistance of the drive current for Q ₁ supplied is less likely to flow uniformly within Q ₁ from the driving circuit unit 2, pole A portion where the drive current is large and a portion where the drive current is small are likely to be generated in the portion. Therefore, in the partial driving communication flow is large load current flows increases, connexion load current is small with a small portion of the drive current, the load current which flows uniformly within the Q ₁ is a partially unbalanced. When this becomes large, a portion larger flow of the load current is called Hotsutosupotsuto to exothermic pole parts to occur, comes One connected to the destruction of Q _1. Internal resistance for Q ₁ be the ideal uniform state is common impossible always occurs location is greater summer than the load current on the other element as described above. This phenomenon is
It generated enough Q ₁ of the surface line increases easily combed. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the output stage element unit 1 in the unit cell 5 is
Are connected in parallel with each other to shunt the load current I ₀ , respectively, so that the area of one output stage element section 5 may be small, and the above-described problem hardly occurs. Also, the unit cells 5 connected in parallel
Are formed on a single semiconductor substrate by the same process, so that the characteristics of the drive circuit section 2 and the output stage element section 1 in each unit cell 5 can be made almost the same. For this reason,
The load current value shared among the unit cells 5 can be made substantially uniform. In this way, by using the unit cells 5 connected in parallel as in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the local concentration of the load current can be reduced and the reliability can be improved.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment. In FIG, 6 and 7 is obtained by dividing a unit cell 5 was respectively n ₁ or group, in the n ₂ or groups. a unit cell 5 comprising n ₁ groups and n ₂ groups
The first figure, the terminal E ₁ shown in Figure 2 are connected in parallel are divided into the terminal E ₂ and E ₃ and E _4.

As described in the embodiment of FIG. 3, a unit cell 5 constituting n ₁ amino group and the n ₂ groups each are almost equally share the load current I _0. Therefore, the current I _S flowing from the terminal E ₄
Is given by the following equation.

In the equation (1), n ₁ and n ₂ are the number of unit cells 5 in each group connected in parallel. (1) As shown by the equation, it is possible to obtain the load current I ₀ indirectly by detecting the I _S. Therefore, type I _S to the signal circuit 4, it becomes possible to control the current flowing through the by connexion load R to the signal, it becomes possible to protect the load R from the overcurrent. Furthermore, I ₀
, The current of the output stage element 1 can be obtained, and the IC itself can be protected from overcurrent. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to protect the load and the IC itself from overcurrent, and there is an effect that reliability can be improved. There also because it can always monitor the load current I _0, (1) formula Yotsute to the use of I _S, the effect of allowing control of the no-load current I ₀ to providing another current detecting means .

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment. Although the embodiments up to FIG. 4 have been described mainly for power ICs, FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of a single semiconductor switch element. In the figure, T ₁ and T ₂ are a pair of main electrodes, and E ₁ and E ₂ shown in FIG.
Are the terminals connected in parallel. G 'is a terminal for inputting a control signal, and terminals G shown in FIG. 2 are terminals connected in parallel.
A unit cell composed of the devices shown in the figure.
Are an output stage element section and a drive circuit section respectively incorporated in the unit cell 5. The semiconductor switch 7 has a configuration in which a plurality of unit cells 5 are connected in parallel. The semiconductor switches also need to have various current capacities according to the load current. However, according to the embodiment of FIG. 5, it is possible to produce semiconductor switches corresponding to various current capacities by developing only one type of unit cell 5 and changing the number of parallel connections according to the load current. effective. In addition, as described in the embodiment of FIG. 1, by connecting a plurality of unit cells 5 in parallel to cope with a large load current, the local concentration of the load current can be reduced, so that the reliability is improved. There is also an effect that a high semiconductor switch can be realized. Further, the switch element shown in FIG. 5 has terminals T ₃ and T ₄ for supplying power for driving the output stage element section 1 to the drive circuit section 2. This is because, as described in the embodiment of FIG. ₁ , the voltage applied between the main electrodes T ₁ and T ₂ often reaches several hundred volts or more, and the withstand voltage that is unnecessary for the drive circuit unit is required. Is required in the output stage element section 1. Therefore, in order to reduce the loss of the drive circuit unit 2,
A voltage of about 5 V to 15 V is supplied from T ₃ and T ₄ .
By doing so, the loss of the drive circuit unit 2 can be reduced and the temperature rise of the semiconductor switch 7 can be suppressed, so that there is an effect that the reliability can be improved.

Usually, in order to drive a semiconductor switch, it is necessary for a user to prepare a driving circuit outside. However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the drive circuit section 2 is provided in the unit cell 5, so that there is no need to prepare an external drive circuit, and the semiconductor switch is simply provided by inputting a signal from a microcomputer or the like to the terminal G '. 7 can be driven, which also has the effect of simplifying the configuration of a device using this.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment. In the figure, the positions of the terminals drawn out from the unit cell 5 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the outside are shown. In the figure, E ₁ and E ₂ are main electrode terminals of the switch element Q in the output stage element portion 1, and V _CC and E ₂ ′ drive the output stage element portion 1 to the drive circuit portion 2 in the unit cell 5. This is a terminal for supplying electric power for performing the operation. G is a terminal for inputting a signal to the drive circuit unit 2. As described in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 5, a voltage of several hundred volts is applied between the terminals E ₁ and E ₂ and each time the switch element of the output stage element section 1 repeatedly turns on and off. This voltage changes like a pulse. On the other hand, since a weak signal from the signal circuit 4 is input to the terminal G, the terminal G has a small resistance to noise from other parts. The drive circuit section 2 is connected between the terminals of V _CC and E ₂ ′.
Is applied, the voltage is generally as low as about 5 to 15 V, and the flowing current is often 1/10 or less as compared with the terminals E ₁ and E ₂ . Slave connexion, the terminal to release most noise to the outside is E ₁ or E _2, terminal G is E _1, E ₂
It is necessary to provide as far as possible from the terminal (1) to prevent malfunction due to noise. Therefore, by providing V _CC and E ₂ ′ terminals that generate less noise between the E ₁ and E ₂ terminals and the G terminal,
The effect of noise generated from the E ₁ and E ₂ terminals on the G terminal is reduced. Thus, according to the present embodiment, there is an effect that the influence of malfunction due to electromagnetic noise can be reduced.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment. The figure shows the state of each terminal when the unit cells of FIG. 6 are connected in parallel. In order to connect the corresponding electrodes of the unit cells arranged on the left and right when the unit cells 5 are adjacent to each other, the unit cell 5 is provided with the electrodes on the left and right as shown in FIG. There is a need. Furthermore, corresponding terminals need to overlap each other to ensure that these terminals are connected to terminals of adjacent unit cells. For this purpose, the left of the unit cell 5,
Each terminal provided on the right must protrude from the boundary of the unit cell 5. Furthermore, since a larger current flows through the terminals E ₁ and E ₂ than the current flowing through the other terminals, it is also important to make the terminals wider than the other terminals. Further, when the terminals E ₁ and E ₂ are connected to the corresponding terminals of the adjacent unit cell 5, the terminals E ₁ and E ₂ are configured such that the overlap between the terminals is larger than that of the other terminals, so that the contact resistance of the connection part is reduced. It is also important to plan. By providing such terminals in the unit cell 5, parallel connection is facilitated, connection of the corresponding terminals between adjacent unit cells is ensured, and furthermore, a terminal through which the load current flows. This has the effect of reducing the loss in

Third Embodiment of Design Support System for Semiconductor Device of the Present Invention
This will be described with reference to FIGS. The current capacity of the output stage element unit 1 in the unit cell shown in FIG. 2 and I _u. Also,
The maximum value of the current to be _passed through the load is defined as _I0max . A system for designing a semiconductor device, or an information processing apparatus including a unit cell and an arithmetic unit, is designed by automatically considering a wiring unit using an information processing unit including an arithmetic unit and a unit cell as shown in FIG. In a system in which the number of unit cells 5 is automatically calculated using the unit cells and the unit cells are automatically arranged to design a semiconductor device, if the required number of unit cells 5 connected in parallel is n,
n is represented by the following equation.

n ≧ I _0max / I _u (2) That is, when n of the equation (2) is obtained as an integer and the load current I ₀ is ideally _divided into the unit cells 5 connected in parallel, n is It can be set equal to I _0max / I _u . But,
When I _0max / I _{u in the} equation (2) is obtained in a small number, the unit cell 5
Cannot be further divided, and it is necessary to select n, which is rounded up to the nearest whole number and converted to an integer, as the number of parallel connections. Also, the current between the unit cells is not ideally divided,
A slight imbalance occurs in the current of each cell. In consideration of such a point, n represents the formula (2) in the calculation means it is essential to select the integer value greater than I _0max / I _u.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent each unit cell connected in parallel from being in an overcurrent state even when the load current is maximum,
This has the effect of improving reliability.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the power supply system of the present invention. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 8-1 denotes a parallel connection body in which a plurality of unit cells shown in any of FIGS. 2 to 7 are connected in parallel, and constitutes one arm of a three-phase inverter. 8-2 to 8-6 are parallel connection units of unit cells each having the same configuration as 8-1, and 4,8-1 to 8-6 may be integrated on separate semiconductor substrates, respectively. In some cases, 4,8-1 to 8-6 are integrated on a single semiconductor substrate.
8-1 to 8-6 may be integrated on two or three semiconductor substrates. V _CC1 is the signal circuit 4 and the parallel connection body 8-4 to
8-6 is a power supply for supplying power for driving the respective unit cells constituting the, V _CC2 ~V _CC4 is for driving the unit cells constituting the parallel connection body 8-1 to 8-3 respectively Power supply for supplying power. 9 is a parallel connection body 8-1
To 8-6 and the signal circuit 4 in the same semiconductor. The three-phase output is obtained from the IC 9 and is widely used for an inverter for driving a motor. This inverter is connected to each of its arms 8-1 to 8-6.
Is constituted by a parallel connection of the unit cells shown in any of FIGS.
It is possible to obtain a three-phase inverter IC which can be dealt with only by changing the number of parallel connection of the unit cells constituting 1 to 8-6 and can correspond to various load currents in a short time. Furthermore, the current between the unit cells constituting each arm can be made substantially uniform, and the local concentration of current can be reduced, so that there is an effect that reliability can be improved. Further, since the unit cells of each arm can be divided into two groups and the load current can be detected by one group, there is an effect that reliability can be improved and functions can be improved.

In small motors and the like, there is a trend to incorporate an inverter unit in the motor in order to reduce the size of the system. For this purpose, it is important to integrate the inverter unit as shown in FIG. The present embodiment satisfies all requirements of various power supply systems of high reliability, high functionality, and ultra-miniaturization, and has an effect that an IC corresponding to the application can be obtained in a short time.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a semiconductor device which can be applied to applications having different current capacities.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a design support system that can easily design such a semiconductor device.

Further, according to the present invention, a versatile power supply system can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the semiconductor device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a device configuration of a unit cell of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 to 7 are other embodiments of the semiconductor device of the present invention. Figure showing
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a power supply system using the semiconductor device of the present invention. 1 ... output stage element section, 2 ... drive circuit section, E ... main power supply, V _CC ... control power supply, 5 ... unit cell.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical indication location H03K 17/567 (72) Inventor Reiko Kanoda 4026 Kuji-cho, Hitachi City, Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi, Ltd. Within Hitachi Research Laboratory (72) Inventor Tsunehiro Endo 4026 Kuji-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Within Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi Research Laboratory Co., Ltd.

Claims (11)

(57) [Claims] A current path between a pair of main terminals is connected to a load, and an output stage element having a control terminal is connected to a control terminal of the output stage element and responds to an input signal applied to an input terminal. And a drive circuit for driving the output stage element
(M ≧ 2) unit cells and a current path between a pair of main terminals of desired N (2 ≦ N ≦ M) unit cells of the M unit cells, and And a wiring means for commonly connecting the input terminals of the N unit cells to a single semiconductor substrate. A current path between a pair of main terminals is connected to a load, and M (M ≧ 2) output stage circuits having input terminals; and M output stages in response to external signals. A signal circuit for outputting a drive signal to be applied to an input terminal of the circuit to an output terminal; and a desired N (2 ≦ N ≦ M) of the M output stage circuits
Wiring means for connecting current paths between a pair of main terminals of the output stage circuit in parallel, and commonly connecting the output terminal of the signal circuit and the input terminals of the N output stage circuits, A semiconductor device integrated on a single semiconductor substrate. 3. A current path between a pair of main terminals connected in series to a load and a first power supply, an output stage element having a control terminal, and said second stage in response to an input signal applied to an input terminal. 1
A plurality of unit cells each comprising a drive circuit for driving the output stage element by forming a current path between a second power source different from the power source and a control terminal of the output stage element; A semiconductor device, wherein wiring means for connecting current paths between a pair of main terminals of a unit cell in parallel and for commonly connecting the input terminals are integrated on a single semiconductor substrate. 4. An output stage element having a current path between a pair of main terminals connected to a load and having a control terminal, a first power supply terminal in response to an input signal applied to an input terminal, and the output stage element. A first drive element for forming a current path between the output terminal and a second power supply terminal in response to an input signal applied to the input terminal; A drive circuit including a second drive element for forming a current path between the control terminal and the output stage element to turn off the output stage element; M (M ≧ 2) unit cells comprising: Wiring means for connecting current paths between a pair of main terminals of desired N (2 ≦ N ≦ M) unit cells in parallel, and commonly connecting input terminals of the N unit cells. And (c) are integrated on a single semiconductor substrate. 5. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the output power of said first power supply is higher than the output power of said second power supply. The method according to claim 6 wherein said plurality of unit cells is divided into a n ₁ amino group and the n ₂ groups, the load current in one group, passing a current for detecting the load current to the other group The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein: 7. A semiconductor device having at least a pair of main electrodes and a control electrode, and capable of changing from a conductive state to a non-conductive state and from a non-conductive state to a conductive state in response to a signal input to the control electrode. The semiconductor element has, as a unit cell, a connection between an output stage element for passing a current to be supplied to a load and a drive circuit for driving the output stage element, and a parallel connection of the unit cells. And a current input terminal for driving said output stage element. 8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the unit cells are arranged adjacent to each other, and each terminal is provided so that corresponding terminals can be connected between adjacent unit cells.
The semiconductor device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 9. When the maximum current to be supplied to the load is I ₀ and the current capacity of the output stage element in the unit cell is I _u , the number n of parallel connected unit cells is n ≧ I ₀ / I _u . 4. The design support system for a semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic unit for setting the relationship so as to substantially satisfy the relationship. 10. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a load, wherein the power supplied from the power supply is supplied to the load by controlling at least one of voltage, frequency, and current. Power supply system to supply. 11. A current path between a pair of main terminals is connected to a load, and an output stage element having a control terminal is connected to a control terminal of the output stage element and responds to an input signal applied to an input terminal. A current path between a pair of main terminals of a desired plurality of unit cells among a plurality of unit cells comprising a drive circuit for driving the output stage element is connected in parallel, and A semiconductor device that can electrically connect input terminals of cells in common.