Semiconductor device and manufacturing the same

Abstract

The invention is directed to improve resistance to destruction of a semiconductor device. A protection circuit having a plurality of bipolar transistors which are Darlington connected between outputs (collector and emitter) of an amplification circuit of a high output is electrically connected in parallel with the amplification circuit. The amplification circuit has a plurality of unit HBTs (Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors) which are connected in parallel with each other. The protection circuit has a two-stage configuration including a first group of a protection circuit having a plurality of bipolar transistors Q 1 to Q 5 and a second group of a protection circuit having a plurality of bipolar transistors.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . A semiconductor device comprising: 
 an amplification circuit; and    a protection circuit connected in parallel between output terminals of said amplification circuit,    wherein said protection circuit has a plurality of bipolar transistors which are Darlington connected, said plurality of bipolar transistors which are Darlington connected are divided into a plurality of blocks, and the plurality of blocks are connected in series.    
   
   
       19 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 18 , wherein the number of bipolar transistors in each of said plurality of blocks is the same.  
   
   
       20 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 18 , wherein the number of bipolar transistors varies according to each of said plurality of blocks.  
   
   
       21 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 18 , wherein a collector region is shared by the bipolar transistors in each of said plurality of blocks.  
   
   
       22 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 18 , wherein an area of a bipolar transistor in an intermediate stage connected between bipolar transistors in the first and final stages of said plurality of bipolar transistors is smaller than that of a bipolar transistor in each of the first and final stages of said of said plurality of blocks.  
   
   
       23 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 18 , wherein a base of the bipolar transistor in the first stage of each of said plurality of blocks and an emitter of the bipolar transistor in the final stage are adjacent to each other in a state where their long sides face each other.  
   
   
       24 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 18 , wherein said amplification circuit has a configuration in which a plurality of heterojunction bipolar transistors are connected in parallel.  
   
   
       25 - 26 . (canceled)