SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

摘要

PURPOSE:To previously prevent various failures from being produced owing to the excess rise of chip surface temperature in the case where the surface temperature of the semiconductor chip exceeds a limit temperature by automatically interrupting operation of a semiconductor integrated circuit or alarming a user. CONSTITUTION:A group of series connected PN junction diodes 2 is connected on a semiconductor chip 8 between a regulated current source circuit 1 and ground potential, and a forward fixed current is supplied to the group of the PN junction diodes 2. On the other hand, there is set a potential equal to a known potential difference between terminals as the forward current is driven to the group of the PN junction diode 2 in the predetermined limit temperature of a semiconductor chip surface by resistors 3a and 3b connected in series between a power supply potential and the ground potential. It is detected that the chip surface temperature exceeds the limit temperature or not by comparing present interterminal voltage of the PN junction diodes 2 and a set potential using a comparator 4.