Integrated circuits with built-in power supply protection
US4260910A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 16, 1975 |
| Grant date | Apr 7, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 16, 1995 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D89/60
Abstract
To provide an integrated circuit with protection against overvoltage and overcurrent conditions, the channel of a field effect transistor is connected between the d.c. supply conductor for the integrated circuit and a further conductor for connection to one pole of a d.c. source for the circuit. The channel of the transistor is provided by a region of an epitaxial layer on a substrate of opposite conductivity type which provides a back gate for the transistor. A conductor is provided for connecting the substrate to the other pole of the d.c. source. The d.c. supply line voltage for the integrated circuit is thereby limited to the pinch-off voltage of the field effect transistor and the power supply current is limited to the zero gate-bias drain current of the field effect transistor. A protection arrangement also is disclosed for limiting forward current flow through an isolation diode in an integrated circuit resulting from accidental reverse polarity connection of a d.c. source to the circuit. The isolation diode is connected to the d.c. supply conductor only through a path including a current limiting resistor. A circuit combining both protection features also is described, the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.