CMOS overvoltage protection circuit utilizing thyristor and majority carrier injecting anti-parallel diode
US4694315A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 26, 1986 |
| Grant date | Sep 15, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 26, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D89/601
Abstract
A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor circuit of CMOS type and an overvoltage protective circuit integrated therewith. The CMOS circuit and the overvoltage protective circuit are formed in one and the same substrate. The device has a contact electrically connected to the substrate. The CMOS circuit has a plurality of inputs. Between each input and the contact connected to the substrate, there is formed and connected in antiparallel a thyristor and a diode. Each thyristor has a firing circuit for ignition of the thyristor at a voltage level which is internally predetermined by the overvoltage protective circuit. In this way, an overvoltage occurring between an arbitrary pair of inputs will cause ignition of the thyristors of the overvoltage protective circuit and short-circuit of the inputs, which efficiently protects the CMOS circuit against overvoltages.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.