Abstract: To protect the insulating film so that crack is not produced in the insulating film even when stress is applied to the semiconductor device. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device is provided, including: forming an insulating film above a semiconductor substrate; forming, in the insulating film, one or more openings that expose the semiconductor substrate; forming a tungsten portion deposited in the openings and above the insulating film; thinning the tungsten portion on condition that the tungsten portion remains in at least part of a region above the insulating film; and forming an upper electrode above the tungsten portion.

Abstract: A stacked integrated circuit encompasses a lower chip including a lower semiconductor element and an upper surface-electrode electrically connected to an upper main-electrode region of the lower semiconductor element, the upper main-electrode region is located on an upper-surface side of the lower semiconductor element; and an upper chip including an upper semiconductor element and a lower surface-electrode electrically connected to a lower main-electrode region of the upper semiconductor element, the lower main-electrode region is located on a lower-surface side of the upper semiconductor element, the lower surface-electrode is metallurgically in contact with the upper surface-electrode.

Abstract: To provide an inductive load driving device which can control a clamp voltage using a ground voltage as a reference, with a simple structure. An inductive load driving device includes: an inductive load whose one end is connected to a power source and whose other end is connected to a ground: an output stage semiconductor switch element connected in series with the inductive load; a clamping circuit connected between a high-voltage side electrode and a control electrode of the output stage semiconductor switch element; and a resistance value control unit connected between the control electrode of the output stage semiconductor switch element and the ground.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, including a main transistor configured to supply power from a power source to a load, and a current limiting device including a control transistor. The current limiting device is configured to detect that the current flowing from the main transistor is an overcurrent, and to limit the current upon determining that the current is equal to or greater than a current limit value, and an operating voltage of the control transistor is equal to or greater than a current limiting activation voltage. The current limit value is a threshold for determining whether the current is greater than an operating current of the main transistor for the load to operate in a steady state. The current limiting activation voltage is a sum of a correction voltage and a predetermined threshold voltage at the gate of the control transistor when the current rises to the current limit value.

Abstract: To protect the insulating film so that crack is not produced in the insulating film even when stress is applied to the semiconductor device. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device is provided, including: forming an insulating film above a semiconductor substrate; forming, in the insulating film, one or more openings that expose the semiconductor substrate; forming a tungsten portion deposited in the openings and above the insulating film; thinning the tungsten portion on condition that the tungsten portion remains in at least part of a region above the insulating film; and forming an upper electrode above the tungsten portion.

Abstract: In activating a motor, a gate voltage with which a power semiconductor element may supply a rush current of the motor is generated by a charge pump circuit, when a certain time (time until the rush current ends) has elapsed after activating the motor, a timer circuit operates a gate clamp circuit, which reduces the gate voltage of the power semiconductor element to reduce the current-carrying capability of the power semiconductor element. Subsequently, when the motor has caused a short-circuit failure, the power semiconductor element, because its gate voltage is reduced by the gate clamp circuit in advance, supplies only a load short current corresponding to the reduced gate voltage. Accordingly, the heat generation due to the short-circuit current is also small and an increase in temperature is also suppressed.

Abstract: To provide an inductive load driving device which can control a clamp voltage using a ground voltage as a reference, with a simple structure. An inductive load driving device includes: an inductive load whose one end is connected to a power source and whose other end is connected to a ground: an output stage semiconductor switch element connected in series with the inductive load; a clamping circuit connected between a high-voltage side electrode and a control electrode of the output stage semiconductor switch element; and a resistance value control unit connected between the control electrode of the output stage semiconductor switch element and the ground.

Abstract: In activating a motor, a gate voltage with which a power semiconductor element may supply a rush current of the motor is generated by a charge pump circuit, when a certain time (time until the rush current ends) has elapsed after activating the motor, a timer circuit operates a gate clamp circuit, which reduces the gate voltage of the power semiconductor element to reduce the current-carrying capability of the power semiconductor element. Subsequently, when the motor has caused a short-circuit failure, the power semiconductor element, because its gate voltage is reduced by the gate clamp circuit in advance, supplies only a load short current corresponding to the reduced gate voltage. Accordingly, the heat generation due to the short-circuit current is also small and an increase in temperature is also suppressed.

Abstract: A power supply device includes an output semiconductor element and a clamp circuit. The output semiconductor element is provided between a power supply line and an output terminal. The output semiconductor element is driven and switched so as to supply electric power to an inductive load connected to the output terminal. The clamp circuit clamps a voltage applied between the power supply line and the output terminal due to a counter electromotive force generated in the inductive load when the output semiconductor element turns OFF, with reference to an operation reference voltage of the output semiconductor element. Thus, it is possible to provide a power supply device including a clamp circuit which can effectively clamp a negative voltage surge derived from a counter electromotive force generated in an inductive load, at a low clamp voltage.

Abstract: An insulated-gate type device driving circuit for driving an insulated-gate semiconductor element based on a gate signal inputted from the outside includes a gate voltage control semiconductor element which is connected between a gate and a source of the insulated-gate semiconductor element, and a pull-up element which is constituted by a depletion type MOSFET connected between a gate and a drain of the gate voltage control semiconductor element. The gate voltage control semiconductor element is driven by a voltage applied to the gate of the insulated-gate semiconductor element, and a back gate of the MOSFET constituting the pull-up element is grounded to prevent a parasitic transistor from being formed.

Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a power chip including a switching element that switches a supply of power from a power supply to a load between an on-state and an off-state, a control chip in which is incorporated a control circuit that controls the switching element of the power chip, and a reverse connection protection circuit, provided in the control chip, that controls the switching element of the power chip into an on-state when the power supply is reverse-connected, wherein the reverse connection protection circuit has protective resistors, interposed between the control circuit and the positive electrode side of the power supply, and a control voltage formation circuit into which is input an intermediate voltage of the protective resistors and which forms a control voltage that controls the switching element of the power chip into an on-state when the power supply is reverse-connected.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, including a main transistor configured to supply power from a power source to a load, and a current limiting device including a control transistor. The current limiting device is configured to detect that the current flowing from the main transistor is an overcurrent, and to limit the current upon determining that the current is equal to or greater than a current limit value, and an operating voltage of the control transistor is equal to or greater than a current limiting activation voltage. The current limit value is a threshold for determining whether the current is greater than an operating current of the main transistor for the load to operate in a steady state. The current limiting activation voltage is a sum of a correction voltage and a predetermined threshold voltage at the gate of the control transistor when the current rises to the current limit value.

Abstract: In a stepping motor drive device, it is possible to prevent malfunction due to negative current from a stepping motor of a plurality of power MOSFETs that apply drive voltage in a complementary way to paired coils of the stepping motor. A fall delay circuit delays the timing of the fall of input pulse signals applied in a complementary way to the gate of each of a plurality of MOSFETs that apply drive voltage in a complementary way to paired coils of a stepping motor by a time Td, wherein Td>Trise?Tfall, in accordance with a rise time Trise when turning on, and a fall time Tfall when turning off, the relevant MOSFET, and after one MOSFET is turned on, another MOSFET is turned off.

Abstract: An insulated-gate type device driving circuit for driving an insulated-gate semiconductor element based on a gate signal inputted from the outside includes a gate voltage control semiconductor element which is connected between a gate and a source of the insulated-gate semiconductor element, and a pull-up element which is constituted by a depletion type MOSFET connected between a gate and a drain of the gate voltage control semiconductor element. The gate voltage control semiconductor element is driven by a voltage applied to the gate of the insulated-gate semiconductor element, and a back gate of the MOSFET constituting the pull-up element is grounded to prevent a parasitic transistor from being formed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that compensates for imbalance between a plurality of semiconductor elements connected in parallel by negative feedback to achieve current balance utilizing reversed temperature characteristics without providing any dedicated element just for cancelling temperature characteristics. A gate driving circuit turns ON a power semiconductor element by applying a voltage elevated by a charge pump (CP) circuit to a gate through a resistor connected between the CP circuit and the gate. The power semiconductor element is turned OFF by control circuit that gives a control signal to turn ON a MOS switch in the gate driving circuit and discharges the gate through a diode.

Abstract: A power supply device includes an output semiconductor element and a clamp circuit. The output semiconductor element is provided between a power supply line and an output terminal. The output semiconductor element is driven and switched so as to supply electric power to an inductive load connected to the output terminal. The clamp circuit clamps a voltage applied between the power supply line and the output terminal due to a counter electromotive force generated in the inductive load when the output semiconductor element turns OFF, with reference to an operation reference voltage of the output semiconductor element. Thus, it is possible to provide a power supply device including a clamp circuit which can effectively clamp a negative voltage surge derived from a counter electromotive force generated in an inductive load, at a low clamp voltage.

Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a power chip including a switching element that switches a supply of power from a power supply to a load between an on-state and an off-state, a control chip in which is incorporated a control circuit that controls the switching element of the power chip, and a reverse connection protection circuit, provided in the control chip, that controls the switching element of the power chip into an on-state when the power supply is reverse-connected, wherein the reverse connection protection circuit has protective resistors, interposed between the control circuit and the positive electrode side of the power supply, and a control voltage formation circuit into which is input an intermediate voltage of the protective resistors and which forms a control voltage that controls the switching element of the power chip into an on-state when the power supply is reverse-connected.

Abstract: In a stepping motor drive device, it is possible to prevent malfunction due to negative current from a stepping motor of a plurality of power MOSFETs that apply drive voltage in a complementary way to paired coils of the stepping motor. A fall delay circuit delays the timing of the fall of input pulse signals applied in a complementary way to the gate of each of a plurality of MOSFETs that apply drive voltage in a complementary way to paired coils of a stepping motor by a time Td, wherein Td>Trise?Tfall, in accordance with a rise time Trise when turning on, and a fall time Tfall when turning off, the relevant MOSFET, and after one MOSFET is turned on, another MOSFET is turned off.

Abstract: A driving circuit for driving an insulated gate semiconductor device based on a voltage of an externally-inputted gate signal, where the insulated gate semiconductor device has a source, a drain and a gate, and a parasitic capacitor exists between the drain and the gate. The driving circuit includes a gate voltage controlling semiconductor device disposed between, and connecting, the gate and the source of the insulated gate semiconductor device. The gate voltage controlling semiconductor device has a source and a gate, and is driven by a current charging the parasitic capacitor. The driving circuit also includes a pull-up device disposed between, and connecting, the source and the drain of the gate voltage controlling semiconductor device.

Abstract: A driving circuit for driving an insulated gate semiconductor device based on a voltage of an externally-inputted gate signal, where the insulated gate semiconductor device has a source, a drain and a gate, and a parasitic capacitor exists between the drain and the gate. The driving circuit includes a gate voltage controlling semiconductor device disposed between, and connecting, the gate and the source of the insulated gate semiconductor device. The gate voltage controlling semiconductor device has a source and a gate, and is driven by a current charging the parasitic capacitor. The driving circuit also includes a pull-up device disposed between, and connecting, the source and the drain of the gate voltage controlling semiconductor device.