US 12,146,798 B2
Thin film transistor based temperature sensor
Shih-Lien Linus Lu, Hsinchu (TW); and Katherine H. Chiang, New Taipei (TW)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Aug. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/461,202.
Prior Publication US 2023/0061108 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. G01K 7/02 (2021.01); G01K 7/32 (2006.01); H01L 27/092 (2006.01); H01L 27/12 (2006.01); H03K 3/03 (2006.01); H01L 27/118 (2006.01); H03K 3/011 (2006.01)
CPC G01K 7/021 (2013.01) [G01K 7/32 (2013.01); H01L 27/092 (2013.01); H01L 27/1203 (2013.01); H01L 27/1225 (2013.01); H03K 3/0315 (2013.01); H01L 27/11803 (2013.01); H03K 3/011 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A circuit, comprising:
a first frequency generator comprising a plurality of thin film transistors arranged in a ring oscillator arrangement and configured to maintain a substantially constant frequency over a range of temperatures;
a second frequency generator comprising a plurality of complementary metal oxide semiconductor transistors arranged in the ring oscillator arrangement and configured to change in frequency over the range of temperatures;
first and second counter devices configured to count a number of first pulses and a number of second pulses from the first frequency generator and the second frequency generator, respectively; and
a processor device configured to determine a temperature based on a difference in the number of first and second pulses over the range of temperatures.