A Highly Linear Integrated Temperature Sensor on a GaN Smart Power IC Platform

• Published in: IEEE transactions on electron devices Vol. 61; no. 8; pp. 2970 - 2976
• Main Authors: Kwan, Alex Man Ho, Yue Guan, Xiaosen Liu, Chen, Kevin J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.08.2014; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT); AlGaN/GaN SBD; Construction; D-HEMTs; Devices; Gallium nitride; Gallium nitrides; GaN smart power platform; Integrated circuits; lateral field-effect rectifier (L-FER); Mirrors; monolithic integration; on-chip temperature sensing; Platforms; proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) voltage source; Temperature; Temperature compensation; Temperature measurement; Temperature sensors; AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT)AlGaN/GaN SBDGaN smart power platformlateral field-effect rectifier (L-FER)monolithic integrationon-chip temperature sensingproportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) voltage source; lateral field-effect rectifier (L-FER); monolithic integration; on-chip temperature sensing; AlGaN/GaN SBD; GaN smart power platform; proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) voltage source
• ISSN: 0018-9383; 1557-9646
• DOI: 10.1109/TED.2014.2327386

On a GaN smart power integrated circuit (IC) platform, a highly linear (i.e., proportional to absolute temperature) temperature sensor IC is demonstrated for building voltage references as well as temperature compensation functional blocks. The circuit is designed based on the temperature-dependent characteristics of GaN-based peripheral devices (e.g., heterojunction Schottky barrier diode, enhancement-/depletion-mode high electron mobility transistors, and lateral field-effect rectifiers) that are monolithically integrated with high-voltage power devices. This monolithic integration scheme facilitates the design efforts in taking full advantages of GaN's superior capability to operate at high temperatures. Proper circuit operation was demonstrated at 275 °C.