Thermal protection circuit for a power semiconductor switch

摘要

A thermally protected power transistor comprising a first chip (11) which includes a power transistor (16) and a second chip (21) which includes protection circuitry. The second chip has a plurality of metallic bumps (22) formed thereon which are coupled to various portions of the protection circuitry, wherein at least one metallic bump (22C) serves as a thermal couple. The protection circuitry chip (21) is mounted upside down on the power transistor chip (11) and coupled to the power transistor chip (11) by the metallic bumps (22). The metallic bumps (22) serve to provide electrical power for the protection circuitry, to couple control signals between the protection circuitry and the power transistor (11), and to couple thermal information from the power transistor (11) to the protection circuitry.