Semiconductor component with internal heating

The invention involves a process for heating a semi-conductor component, as well as a semi-conductor component, whereby a device for heating the semi-conductor component is provided on the semi-conductor component.

CLAIM FOR PRIORITY

This application claims priority to German Application No. 10 2004 015 539.9, filed Mar. 30, 2004, which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a semiconductor component with internal heating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Semi-conductor components, for instance corresponding integrated (analog and/or digital) computing circuitry, semi-conductor memory components such as for instance function storage components (PLAs, PALs, etc.) and table storage components (for instance ROMs or RAMs, in particular SRAMs and DRAMs), etc. are subjected to numerous tests during and after manufacture.

For instance components (semi-complete and still on the wafer) may be, at one or more stations and with the aid of one or more test apparatuses—even before the wafer has been subjected to all required process steps (i.e. even while the semi-conductor components are still in a semi-complete state)—subjected to appropriate test procedures (for instance so-called kerf measurements on the wafer scoring grid).

After completion (i.e. after all the wafer processing steps have been performed) the semi-conductor components can be subjected to further test procedures at one or more (further) test stations, for instance the components still present on the wafer and completed may be appropriately tested (“slice tests”) with the aid of corresponding (further) test equipment.

After the wafer has been sliced (and/or scored and snapped off) the—now individually available components, loaded into so-called carriers (packages)—can be subjected to further test procedures at one or more (further) test stations.

In similar fashion, one or more further tests can be performed (at corresponding further test stations and by using appropriate further test equipment) for instance after the semi-conductor components have been installed in a corresponding semi-conductor component housing, and/or for instance after the semi-conductor component housings (with the semi-conductor components built into them in each case) have been installed in corresponding electronic modules (for so-called module tests), etc.

To ensure that semi-conductor components can function faultlessly within the total specified temperature range (for instance 0° C.–70° C.), the semi-conductor components may—before and/or during one or more of the above tests (for instance the above slice tests, carrier tests, module tests, etc.)—be appropriately heated or cooled in appropriate heating chambers.

The problem that occurs is that relatively strong non-homogeneous temperature distributions may occur in sections of the heating chamber.

This may for instance have the effect—for instance during a module test—that the most strongly heated semi-conductor component of an electronic module which has been introduced into the heating chamber may be heated relatively strongly, for instance 10° C. more than the least strongly heated semi-conductor component in one and the same module in the heating chamber.

This may lead thereto that one or more of the semi-conductor components in the heating chamber is heated too strongly (for instance above and/or far above the specified temperature in each case, or the target temperature), i.e. is “over-tested”.

Thereby the corresponding semi-conductor component may be irreparably damaged and/or destroyed.

In this way the targeted yield (i.e. the proportion of faultlessly operating semi-conductor components/modules) of all the semi-conductor components and/or modules being manufactured is reduced.

When an attempt is made to avoid the above “over-testing”—i.e. the excessive overheating—of those semi-conductor components which are arranged on each module and heated too strongly in the heating chamber due to the non-homogeneous temperature distribution occurring in the heating chambers, it may occur that the remaining semi-conductor components provided on the corresponding module in the heating chamber may not be heated strongly enough.

This may lead to a deterioration in the quality of the produced components and/or modules (because the danger increases that components and/or modules are produced that do not function faultlessly over the whole specified temperature range in each case).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention discloses a semi-conductor component as well as a novel system, which comprises a semi-conductor component and a device provided outside the semi-conductor component, and a new process for heating a semi-conductor component.

In one embodiment of the invention, a semi-conductor component is made available, in which a device for heating the semi-conductor component is provided on the semi-conductor component itself.

Advantageously, the device for heating the semi-conductor component—provided on the semi-conductor component—comprises a control and/or regulatory device.

Preferably the device for heating the semi-conductor component may comprise a heating element, which can be heated by the current flowing through the heating element.

Particularly advantageously, the heating element is a diode, in particular an ESD protective diode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

InFIGS. 1aand1b, a few stations (some of numerous further stations A, B, C, D, E, F, G not shown here) passed through during the manufacture of semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d(and/or electronic modules) by the corresponding semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dare shown schematically.

The semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dmay for instance be corresponding integrated (analog and/or digital) computing circuitry, and/or semi-conductor memory components such as for instance function storage components (PLAs, PALs, etc.) or table storage components (for instance ROMs or RAMs), in particular SRAMs or DRAMs (here for instance DRAMs (Dynamic Random Access Memories and/or dynamic read-write memories) with double data rate (DDR-DRAMs=Double Data Rate DRAMs), preferably high-speed DDR-DRAMs).

During the manufacture of the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d, a suitable silicon disk and/or corresponding wafer2is subjected—for instance at stations upstream and downstream from station A shown inFIG. 1(for instance station B—downstream from station A—as well as numerous further stations, not shown here (stations both upstream and downstream from station A))—to appropriate conventional coating, illuminating, etching, diffusion and implantation process steps etc.

Station A serves—as is more clearly described below—to heat—in a controlled fashion—the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d—still present on wafer2—by means of several, for instance two or more, control devices6a,6b(or alternatively for instance by means of an appropriate single control device) and by means of an internal heating control device50,50′—more closely described below—present on the relevant semi-conductor component or provided externally—and/or to subject them to several further test procedures (in fact—as is evident from the explanations above—even before the above processing steps required for wafer2have been performed (i.e. already in a semi-completed state of the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d)).

Alternatively—as is schematically represented inFIG. 1a—an appropriate heating chamber51(into which the above wafer2, a probe card8, and for instance the devices6a,6bmay be placed (or for instance the wafer2, or for instance the wafer2and the probe card8, not however the devices6a,6b, etc.)) may be additionally provided to assist with the above heating procedure of the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d, before, and/or during one or several of the above tests.

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required—as is more clearly described further below—for heating the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dat station A by means of the above internal heating control devices50,50′ (and/or for testing a corresponding semi-conductor component3aon wafer2)—are generated by the corresponding devices6a,6band relayed by means of the probe card8connected to the devices6a,6b(more accurately: by means of corresponding contact pins9a,9bprovided on the probe card) to corresponding connections on the relevant semi-conductor component3a.

From station A the wafer2may (in particular fully automatically) be further transported to station B (and from there—if required—to numerous stations not represented here), where—as already mentioned above—wafer2is subjected to appropriate further processing steps (in particular to appropriate coating, illuminating, etching, diffusion and implantation process steps etc.) and/or—correspondingly similar to those performed at station A—to further heating and/or test procedures.

After the semi-conductor components have been completed (i.e. after the above wafer processing steps have been performed) wafer2is transported—in particular in fully automatic fashion—from the corresponding—previous—processing station (for instance from station B or other further—downstream—stations) to the next station C.

Station C may still—as is more clearly described further below—be used for the controlled heating of the completed semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d—still present on wafer2—by means of several, for instance two or more control devices16a,16b(or alternatively for instance by means of a corresponding single control device), and by the above internal heating control device50,50′—present on each semi-conductor component or provided externally—and/or to subject it to various—further—test procedures, for instance to so-called slice tests.

As an alternative, an appropriate (additional) heating chamber52(into which—as is schematically represented inFIG. 1a—the above wafer2, a probe card18, and for instance the devices16a,16bmay be placed (or for instance the wafer2, or for instance the wafer2and the probe card8, not however the devices6a,6b, etc.)) may be additionally provided to support the heating process of the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dbefore, and/or during one or several of the above tests.

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required—as is more clearly described further below—for heating the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dat station C by means of the above internal heating control device50,50′ (and/or for testing a corresponding semi-conductor component3aon wafer2)—are generated by the corresponding devices16a,16band relayed by means of the probe card18connected to the devices16a,16b(more accurately: by means of corresponding contact pins19a,19bprovided on the probe card) to corresponding connections on the relevant semi-conductor component3a.

From station C wafer2is transported (in particular in fully automatic fashion) to the next station D where (after wafer2has had foil glued to it in recognized fashion) it is sawn up by an appropriate machine7(or for instance scored and snapped off), so that the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dbecome—individually—available.

After wafer2has been sawn up at station D, each individual component3a,3b,3c,3dis then (in particular—again fully automatically) loaded into an appropriate carrier11a,11b,11c,11dand/or a corresponding container11a,11b,11c,11dand the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d—loaded into the carrier11a,11b,11c,11d—transported further to one or more (further) stations—for instance to station E shown inFIG. 1a.

At station E the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d—loaded into the carriers11a,11b,11c,11d—can then be heated (in a controlled fashion) for instance by using the above internal heating control device50,50′—present on the relevant semi-conductor component, or provided externally (and/or subjected to various further test procedures—for instance to so-called carrier tests).

For this, a corresponding carrier11ais inserted into an appropriate carrier socket and/or carrier adapter—connected via corresponding lines29a,29bwith several, for instance two or more control devices26a,26b(or alternatively for instance with a corresponding single control device)- and the other carriers11b,11c, lid are for instance similarly inserted into further carrier sockets and/or carrier adapters—or connected to the above control devices or further control devices (not shown here).

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required at station E for heating the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dby using the above internal heating control device50,50′ (and/or for testing a corresponding semi-conductor component3ain the corresponding carrier11a) are—as is more clearly described below—generated by the above control devices26a,26band relayed—via lines29a,29b, the carrier sockets connected to them, and the carrier11a—to corresponding connections of the corresponding semi-conductor component3a.

As an alternative, an appropriate (additional) heating chamber53(into which—as is schematically represented inFIG. 1a—the above carriers11a,11b,11c,11dwith their sockets, the components3a,3b,3c,3d, and the devices26a,26b(or for instance the carriers11a,11b,11cand11dwith their carrier sockets, and the components3a,3b,3c,3d, not however the devices26a,26b, etc.) may be additionally provided to support the heating process of the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dat station E, before and/or during any one or several of the above tests.

From station E the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dmay be transported (in particular in fully automatic fashion) to one or more station(s)—not represented here—where the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dare mounted on corresponding housings12a,12b,12c,12d(for instance appropriate plug-in or surface mounted component housings, etc.).

As shown inFIG. 1b, the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d—mounted in the housings12a,12b,12c,12d—may then be transported to one (or more) further stations, for instance to station F shown inFIG. 1b.

At station F the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d—mounted in the housings12a,12b,12c,12dcan then be heated (in a controlled way, for instance by using the above internal heating control devices50,50′—mounted on the relevant semi-conductor component—or provided externally) and/or subjected to various further test procedures.

For this, a corresponding semi-conductor component housing12ais inserted into a corresponding component housing socket and/or component housing adapter—connected via corresponding lines39awith a suitable control device36a—(and the remaining semi-conductor component housings12b,12c,12dcorrespondingly inserted into a further component housing socket and/or component housing adapter connected to further control devices36b).

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required at station F for heating a corresponding semi-conductor component3a—mounted in an appropriate housing12a—by using the above internal heating control device50,50′ (and/or for testing the corresponding semi-conductor component3a)—as is more clearly described further below—are generated by the above control devices36a,36band relayed via lines39a,39bconnected with the corresponding control device36a,36bhousing socket and the housing12aconnected to it, to corresponding connections of the relevant semi-conductor component3a.

As an alternative, an appropriate (additional) heating chamber54(into which—as is schematically represented inFIG. 1a—the above housings12a,12b,12c,12dwith their components3a,3b,3c,3d, and the devices36a,36bmay be inserted (or for instance only the carriers12a,12b,12cand12dwith their components3a,3b,3c,3d, not however the devices36a,36b, etc.)) may be additionally provided to support the heating process of the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dat station F, before and/or during any one or several of the above tests.

From station F the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dmounted in the housing12a,12b,12c,12dmay then be—optionally—transported to one or more further stations—not shown here—where a corresponding semi-conductor component housing (for instance the housing12a, with all the semi-conductor component3amounted in it)—together with further components (analog and/or digital computer circuits, processors, etc., and/or semi-conductor memory components, for instance PLAs, PALs, ROMs, RAMs, in particular SRAMs or DRAMs, etc.)—is connected to a corresponding electronic module13, for instance a circuit board.

As is shown inFIG. 1b, the electronic module13(and thereby also the semi-conductor component3a—connected with the electronic module13(mounted in a corresponding housing12a)) may then be—optionally—transported to one or more further stations—for instance to station G shown inFIG. 1b.

At station G the semi-conductor components3a—connected with module13—may then be heated in a controlled fashion (for instance by using the above internal heating control device50,50′—mounted on the relevant semi-conductor component, or provided externally—) and/or subjected to various further test procedures, in particular to so-called module tests.

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required at station G for heating a corresponding semi-conductor component3a—connected to module13—by means of the above internal heating control devices50,50′ (and/or for testing the corresponding semi-conductor component3aand/or further components connected with module13) are—as is more clearly described below—generated by several, for instance two or more control devices46a,46b(or alternatively by a single control device) and relayed via lines49a,49bto the electronic module13and thereby to corresponding connections of the relevant semi-conductor component3a(and/or to the other components).

As an alternative, an appropriate (further) heating chamber55(in which—as is schematically represented inFIG. 1b—the above module13together with component3a, and the devices46a,46bmay be arranged (or for instance the module13together with the component3a, and the devices46a,46b, etc.) may be additionally provided to support the heating process of the semi-conductor component3aat station G, before and/or during any one or several of the above (further) tests.

InFIG. 2a schematic representation of a section of one of the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dshown inFIGS. 1aand1bis shown, as well as—also schematically—the control device connected with it (here for instance the control device26ashown inFIG. 1a(alternatively for instance the devices6a,16a,36a,46ashown inFIG. 1aand/or1b)).

As is apparent fromFIG. 2, the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d—shown inFIGS. 1aand1b—in each case carry the internal heating control device50—already mentioned above—and a temperature measuring device56.

Furthermore the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3d(here illustrated by way of an example by means of the semi-conductor component3ashown inFIGS. 1aand1b) have—corresponding to conventional semi-conductor components—numerous connections (so-called pads), for instance numerous data connections (DQ) (so-called data connection pads), numerous address connections (so-called address connection pads)—not shown here—numerous control connections (so-called control connection pads)—also not shown here—as well as one or more ground potential connections (ground potential pads—GND), and one or more supply voltage connections (VDD) (supply voltage connection pads), etc.

When the semi-conductor components3a,3b,3c,3dare installed into the corresponding housings12a,12b,12c,12d—as with conventional semi-conductor components—the relevant pads (i.e. the data connection pads, the address connection pads, the control connection pads, the potential connection pad, the supply voltage connection pad, etc.) are connected via corresponding bond wires with corresponding connections (so-called pins)—provided at each housing12a,12b,12c,12d—(i.e. the data connection pads with corresponding data connection pins, the address connection pads with corresponding address connection pins, the control connection pads with corresponding control connection pins, the ground potential connection pad with a corresponding ground potential connection pin, the supply voltage connection pad with a corresponding supply voltage connection pin, etc.).

Each of the above data connection pads (DQ) is—in order to be able to receive relevant useful external data during the “normal” operation of the semi-conductor component3a(and—as is more closely described below—correspondingly similar to conventional semi-conductor components) connected via a corresponding line60to an input61of an input device62(“input receiver”) allocated to each data connection pad (DQ).

The input61of the input data receiver62is connected—also correspondingly similarly to conventional semi-conductor components—via corresponding lines63,64and an inter-connected protective diode65, to the above ground potential connection pad (GND).

As is further apparent fromFIG. 2, the input61of the input data receiver device62has been additionally connected (and—as is more closely described below—also correspondingly similar to conventional semi-conductor components) via corresponding lines66,67, and an inter-connected protective diode68to the above supply voltage connection pad (VDD).

According to FIG.2—in contrast to conventional semi-conductor components—a switching means70, for instance an appropriate transistor circuit including one or more transistors (of which the input is connected—via a line72—with the supply voltage connection pad (VDD), and the output—via the above line67—with the diode68) has been connected in series at the semi-conductor component3a, between the input61of the input data receiver62, and the supply voltage connection pad (VDD) (more accurately: between the protective diode68and the supply voltage connection pad (VDD)).

Furthermore—and also in contrast to conventional semi-conductor components—at the semi-conductor component3a, a switching means71, for instance a corresponding transistor circuit—including one or more transistors—has been connected in series between the input61of the input data receiver62, and the data connection pad (DQ) (more accurately between the line60, and a line73connected with the data connection pad (DQ)).

Depending on the control signals emitted by the internal heating control device50to corresponding control lines74,75and relayed to corresponding control inputs of the switching means70,71, the switching means70,71can be brought into a “switched on” state by the internal heating control device50(in which the line73and the line60, i.e. the data connection pad (DQ) and the input data receiver62(and/or the line72, and the protective diode68, i.e. the supply voltage connection pad (VDD) and the protective diode68) are electrically connected), or brought into a “switched off” state (whereby the line73and the line60, i.e. the data connection pad (DQ) and the input data receiver62(and/or the line72, and the protective diode68, i.e. the supply voltage connection pad (VDD) and the protective diode68) are electrically disconnected from each other.

During the above “normal operation” of the semi-conductor component3a, the switching means70,71—controlled by the internal heating control device50—is “switched on” (and—in contrast to a “test” and/or “heated” operation (see below)—left in a continually “switched on” position).

When—correspondingly similar to conventional components—an appropriate positive supply voltage (VDD) is for instance applied to the supply voltage connection pad (VDD), and the ground potential connection pad (GND) is connected to ground, corresponding useful external data can be relayed to the semi-conductor component3a—by applying corresponding “high logic” signals (for instance one at a positive voltage level Vp), or “low logic” signals (for instance one at ground voltage level) to the data connection pad (DQ) (whereby the following applies in particular: VDD≧Vp)

By means of the above protective diodes68,69, the “insides” of the semi-conductor component3a—in particular the corresponding receiver62(“input receiver”), and the switching means directly or indirectly connected with the output69of the receiver62(“input receiver”), can be protected against too high and/or incorrectly polarized voltages.

For the above “test” and/or “heated” operation of the semi-conductor components3a, the corresponding control devices6a,16a,26a,36a,46aare—as shown in FIG.2—connected via the corresponding lines29a,39a,49awith corresponding connections, in particular with the above data connection (DQ), the above supply voltage connection (VDD) (and if needed also with a corresponding control connection and/or with the ground potential connection) of the semi-conductor component3a(for instance—directly—with the corresponding data connection pad (DQ), the corresponding supply voltage connection pad (VDD) (and if needed, with the corresponding control connection pad, etc.) (cf. for instance the above stations A, C shown inFIG. 1a), or for instance indirectly via the corresponding data connection and supply voltage connection pins (and if needed, the corresponding control connection pin, etc.) (cf. for instance the stations F and G shown inFIGS. 1aand1b).

In order to switch over from “normal” to “test” operation and/or “heated” operation (and/or vice versa) an appropriate control signal can for instance be applied by the corresponding control device6a,16a,26a,36a,46ato one of the above control connections of the semi-conductor component3a.

During the above “test” and/or “heated” operation—as is more clearly described below—the above internal heating control device50and/or the temperature measuring device56are in an “active” state.

The temperature measuring device56(for instance a conventional on-chip thermometer (or a corresponding device similarly constructed to this))—similarly used during a temperature-dependent normal self-refresh operation—delivers corresponding temperature measurement data (reflecting the current temperature Tistof the semi-conductor component3a) to the internal heating control device50via one or more lines76.

This device compares the temperature Tist—measured by the temperature measuring device56—with a nominal temperature Tsoll—previously stored in the internal heating control device50and/or the semi-conductor component3a(and pre-set or for instance if needed, subsequently externally adjustable by the control devices6a,16a,26a,36a,46a).

As is also apparent fromFIG. 2, and as is more clearly described below, a special voltage UHEAT, differing from the above voltage VDD is applied—during “test” and/or “heated” operation—by the device6a,16a,26a,36a,46ato the supply voltage connection, in particular to the supply voltage connection pad of the semi-conductor component3a.

In addition—and as is also apparent from FIG.2—aspecial voltage UHEAT, differing from the above voltage Vp—is applied during “test” and/or “heated” operation by the device6a,16a,26a,36a,46ato the data connection, in particular to the data connection pad of the semi-conductor component3a.

The voltage UHEAT—applied at the supply voltage connection—may for instance have an inverted polarity to that of the voltage VDD, applied to the supply voltage connection pad during the above “normal” operation (for instance, a suitable negative voltage UHEAT—instead of a positive voltage VDD—may for instance by applied to the supply voltage connection of the control devices6a,16a,26a,36a,46a).

If the internal heating control device50determines that the temperature Tistof the semi-conductor component3a—measured by the temperature measuring device56—lies above the nominal temperature Tsoll, the internal heating control device50—by applying appropriate signals to the above control lines74,75—causes the switching means70,71to be “switched on” (whereby the line73and the line60, and/or the line72, and the line67are electrically connected).

The polarities and/or the voltage levels of the voltages +UHEAT, −UHEATapplied by the control devices6a,16a,26a,36a,46ato the data connection and/or the supply voltage are selected in such a way that the protective diode68(or—in case an appropriately selected potential has been applied to the ground potential connection (GND))—the protective diode68, and the protective diode65) are through-connected.

The current flowing through the protective diode68(and/or through the protective diode68and the protective diode65) causes a corresponding heating of the protective diode68(and/or of the protective diode68and the protective diode65), whereby the semi-conductor component3ais also correspondingly heated.

If the internal heating control device50determines that the temperature Tist(in particular caused by the above heating of the semi-conductor components3due to the diodes)—measured by the temperature measuring device56—rises above the nominal temperature Tsoll, the internal heating control device50causes—by applying appropriate signals to the above control lines74,75—the switching means70,71to be correspondingly “switched off”.

Hereby line73and line60, and/or line72and line67are electrically disconnected from each other, so that no more current flows through the diode(s)68,65, i.e. the semi-conductor component3acan no longer be heated by the diodes, etc.

By means of the corresponding—and if necessary repeated—switching on and off of the switching device70,71(and thereby of the diode(s)68,65) by the internal heating control device50, the temperature of the semi-conductor component3ais regulated at the above nominal temperature Tsoll, i.e. an appropriate regulatory loop is created.

In the alternative, preferred embodiment example shown inFIG. 3an—internally—heated semi-conductor component3a′ (and a control device26a(and/or6a,16a,36a,46a) connected with it)) has been correspondingly identically constructed and arranged, and the semi-conductor component3a′ is correspondingly identically heated—by using the protective diode68(and/or the protective diodes65,68)—as described above by means ofFIG. 2in relation to the semi-conductor component3a, except that function of the internal heating control device50mentioned above—and provided on the component3aitself—is assumed by the control device26a(and/or6a,16a,36a,46a), connected with the semi-conductor component3a′ (cf. also the internal heating control device50′ shown inFIG. 3, provided externally to the conductor component3a′ in the control device26a).

As is apparent fromFIG. 3, the temperature measurement data produced by the temperature measuring device56via the line76, and a line76′ connected with it, is made available to the control device26a(and/or to the internal heating control device50′ arranged on it).

If the internal heating control device50′ determines that the temperature Tistof the semi-conductor component3a′—measured by the temperature measuring device56—lies below the desired nominal temperature Tsoll, it is ordered by the internal heating control device50′ that appropriate heating voltages +UHEAT, −UHEATare applied via the above lines29a(39a,49a), for instance to the above data connection, and the supply voltage connection of the semi-conductor component3a′ (or to various corresponding connections, which for instance differ from the above address connection, etc.)

These voltages have been so selected—as described above—that the protective diode68(or—in case a correspondingly selected potential has been supplied to the ground potential-connection (GND)—the protective diode68and the protective diode65)) are through-connected.

The current flowing through the protective diode68(and/or the protective diode68and the protective diode65) causes a corresponding heating of the protective diode68(and/or the protective diode68and the protective diode65), whereby the semi-conductor component3a′ is also correspondingly heated.

If the internal heating control device50′ determines that the measured temperature Tist—measured by the temperature measuring device56—(and in particular caused by the above heating of the semi-conductor component3a′ by the diode(s)), is rising above the nominal temperature Tsoll, the internal heating control device50′ orders the above heating voltages +UHEAT, −UHEAT—for instance applied to the data connection and the supply voltage connection of the semi-conductor component3a′—to be switched “off” again.

Then no further current flows through the diode(s)68,65, with result that the semi-conductor component3a′ cannot be further heated by the diode, etc.

By means of the appropriate—and if necessary repeated—switching on and off of the heating voltages +UHEAT, −UHEAT, i.e. an appropriate regulatory loop is created, and the semi-conductor component3a′ is thereby regulated—as is correspondingly illustrated above in relation to FIG.2—at the above nominal temperature Tsoll.

Alternatively, the exact level of the heating voltages +UHEAT, −UHEATmay also be correspondingly varied in each case by the internal heating control device50′, so that the semi-conductor component3a′ is—depending on the component temperature Tistmeasured in each case —correspondingly heated more or less (whereby an even more accurate and/or quicker regulation of the temperature Tistof the semi-conductor component3a′ can be achieved).

As already mentioned above (and as illustrated inFIG. 1aand/or1b), the semi-conductor component3a(and/or the semi-conductor component3a′) may be installed into an appropriate heating chamber51,52,53,54,55during the above “test” and/or “heating” operation.

Inside the heating chambers51,52,53,54,55relatively pronounced non-homogeneous temperature divisions may occur in part (for instance temperatures lying above and below the nominal chamber temperature Tk,soll, between a minimum temperature Tmin and a maximum temperature Tmax, whereby the following applies: Tmin<Tk,soll<Tmax).

Advantageously the nominal chamber temperature Tk,sollfor each heating chamber51,52,53,54,55has been so selected and/or adjusted that the maximum temperature Tmax actually occurring in the heating chamber51,52,53,54,55is lower and/or somewhat lower (for instance between 0° C. and 25° C., in particular for instance between 5° C. and 10° C., etc. lower), than the above nominal semi-conductor component temperature Tsollprovided for the semi-conductor component3aand (finely) regulated by the internal heating control device50,50′.

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