SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve reliability and fully raise loaded short circuit resistance by preventing a metallic electrode in contact with a semiconductor from melting in a semiconductor device using a wide band gap semiconductor. SOLUTION: The semiconductor device has a vertical main FET 31 whose heat dissipation effect is raised by bringing a 50 μm or thicker metallic electrode into contact with a front side surface of a semiconductor element consisting of a wide band gap semiconductor, and an excess current limiting means 32 which limits saturation current flowing in the main FET 31 in loaded short circuit. The excess current limiting means 32 has a transistor 33 for current detection connected to the main FET 31 in parallel, and limits a current amount flowing in the main FET 31 by working to lower a gate voltage of the main FET 31 when a current flowing in the transistor 33 for current detection is large. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT