Importance

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Abstract

The temperature at a semiconductor device having a generally non-linear, temperature dependent relationship between a pair of device parameters is determined by applying a plurality of sequential excitations to the device at different excitation levels, sensing the levels of the device parameters that correspond to the sequential excitations, and determining the device temperature from the sequential device parameter levels. The device may include a p-n junction, and is preferably a bipolar transistor whose collector current and base-emitter voltage serve as the parameters from which the temperature is obtained. Using three sequential excitations, an accurate temperature reading can be obtained that substantially cancels the effects of the transistor's parasitic base and emitter resistances. p-n junction diodes and Schottky diodes may also serve as the device, in which case the current through and voltage across the diode are used to determine temperature.

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First Claim