Patent ID: 7012792
Filing Date: 2006-03-14
Classification: H01L,H02H,H03K

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising: an output field-effect transistor formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate; an overcurrent detection circuit detecting an overcurrent of said output field-effect transistor and including a second field-effect transistor; and an overcurrent limiting circuit connected between a gate electrode terminal and a source electrode terminal of said output field-effect transistor, wherein said overcurrent limiting circuit is controlled by the detected current of said overcurrent detection circuit, wherein an output voltage of said overcurrent limiting circuit is varied according to variation in a threshold voltage of said output field-effect transistor, and wherein said overcurrent limiting circuit includes a third field-effect transistor connected to said second-field effect transistor of the overcurrent detection circuit, a source region of said third field-effect transistor being surrounded by a diffusion layer with substantially the same characteristics as that of a base diffusion layer deciding the threshold voltage of said output field-effect transistor.