Semiconductor device having a thermal resistance detector in the heat radiating path

Claim 2

A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor chip; a heat sink; an insulation substrate having high thermal conductivity and being provided between the semiconductor chip and the heat sink so as to hold the semiconductor chip; a solder layer for bonding the insulation substrate to the heat sink; thermal resistance detection means for detecting an increase of thermal resistance of a heat radiating path including the insulation substrate, the solder and the heat sink, the thermal resistance detection means being provided on a peripheral portion of the insulation substrate and being electrically insulated from the semiconductor chip; and thermal resistance detection result output means for outputting a result of a detection by the thermal resistance detection means externally of the semiconductor device.

Claim 3

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the thermal resistance detection means determine on the basis of temperature detection output of one or a plurality of temperature detection element/elements arranged at least on a periphery of the insulation substrate that the thermal resistance in the heat radiating path is higher than a reference value.

Claim 4

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the thermal resistance detection means determine that the thermal resistance in the heat radiating path is higher than a reference value on the basis of an electric characteristics output depending on a thermal resistance of one or a plurality of temperature detection element/elements arranged at least on a periphery of the insulation substrate.

Claim 5

A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the thermal resistance detection means determine that the thermal resistance in the heat radiating path is higher than a reference value by use of temperature detection element/elements arranged on a periphery of the semiconductor chip.

Claim 6

A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor chip; an insulation substrate having an element mounting surface on which a metal pattern is formed, and a back surface on which a metal layer is formed; a first solder layer for bonding the insulation substrate to the semiconductor chip in a state where the semiconductor chip is mounted on the metal pattern for mounting the chip; bonding wires provided between the metal pattern on the insulation substrate for mounting the semiconductor chip and a pad section of the semiconductor chip; a heat sink; a second solder layer for bonding the metal on the back surface of the insulation substrate to the heat sink in a state where the metal on the back surface of the insulation substrate contacts on the heat sink; thermal resistance detection means for detecting an increase of thermal resistance of a heat radiating path including the insulation substrate, the first solder, the second solder and the heat sink, the thermal resistance detection means being provided on a peripheral portion of the insulation substrate and being electrically insulated from the semiconductor chip; and thermal resistance detection result output means for outputting a result of a detection by the thermal resistance detection means externally of the semiconductor device.

Claim 7

A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor chip; an insulation substrate having an element mounting surface on which a metal pattern is formed, and a back surface on which a metal layer is formed; a first solder layer for bonding the insulation substrate to the semiconductor chip in a state where the semiconductor chip is mounted on the metal pattern for mounting the chip; bonding wires provided between the metal pattern on the insulation substrate for mounting the semiconductor chip and a pad section of the semiconductor chip; a heat sink; a second solder layer for bonding the metal on the back surface of the insulation substrate to the heat sink in a state where the metal on the back surface of the insulation substrate contacts on the heat sink; thermal resistance detection means for detecting an increase of thermal resistance of a heat radiating path including the insulation substrate, the first solder, the second solder and the heat sink, the thermal resistance detection means being provided on a peripheral portion of the insulation substrate and being electrically insulated from the semiconductor chip; and thermal resistance detection result output means for outputting a result of a detection by the thermal resistance detection means externally of the semiconductor device.