The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a circuit arrangement using the same and is suitably used for, in particular, a vehicle-mounted semiconductor device including a power semiconductor device.
Automobiles include electrical components such as a headlight and a power window. In related art, relays have been used as switches for supplying and interrupting power to these components from batteries. In recent years, such relays have been replaced with semiconductor devices having power MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistors.
In battery maintenance including inspection and replacement, a cable coupled to a battery may be removed. After the maintenance, the removed cable is coupled to the battery. At this point, the cable may be coupled opposite to (reversely coupled) the cathode and anode of the battery.
If the cable is reversely coupled to the battery, a switch with a relay inevitably interrupts current when being turned off. However, even if a switch with a semiconductor device is turned off, the switch allows passage of current through a parasitic diode included in a power MOS transistor. In other words, current flows backward with the switch turned off.
A semiconductor device with two power MOS transistors is proposed to prevent the backflow of current. The two power MOS transistors are coupled in series with the coupled drains. The two power MOS transistors are power MOS transistors having identical properties such as a withstand voltage set relative to a battery voltage in view of a load dump surge.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-368219 discloses a semiconductor device that controls charging and discharging of a battery using two power MOS transistors.