Electrostatic discharge protection using a guard region
US10020299B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jul 10, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D89/611
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) circuit is configured to shunt electrostatic discharge (ESD) current from a node to a reference voltage. The SCR circuit includes a first bipolar PNP transistor having a first emitter connected to the node, a first base, and a first collector. A second bipolar NPN transistor has a second collector sharing a first region with the first base, a second base sharing a second region with the first collector, and an emitter electrically connected to the reference voltage. A guard region is configured and arranged to delay triggering of the SCR circuit in response to an ESD event by impeding current flow in the second region.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.