SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, ELECTRIC CIRCUIT USING THE SAME AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

摘要

The operation of a HEMT is monitored on an on-chip basis without increasing the power consumption rate. In a semiconductor device 10, an electron supply layer 12 is formed on a channel layer 11. A two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) layer 13 is formed at the side of the channel layer of the hetero-junction interface. Electrons flow through the 2DEG layer 13 between a source electrode 14 formed on the surface of the electron supply layer 12 and a drain electrode 15 that is formed on the same surface. A potential detection electrode 17 is arranged on the electron supply layer 12 between the gate electrode 16 and the source electrode 14. A resistor 18 having a sufficiently high resistance value makes the electric current flowing to the potential detection electrode 17 negligible relative to the drain current in operation.