Patent · US Expired

Circuital arrangement for preventing latchup in transistors with insulated collectors

US5185649A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 26, 1991
Grant dateFeb 9, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 26, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D89/60

Abstract

A circuital arrangement which comprises a vertical PNP transistor with insulated collector, which has a P-type collector structure surrounded by an N-type well and forms a junction therewith. In order to prevent latch-ups of the parasite SCR which is formed by the structure of the vertical transistor with insulated collector without limiting the voltage which can be applied between the collector and the emitter thereof to values below the intrinsic breakdown ones, the circuital arrangement comprises an auxiliary PNP transistor the emitter whereof is short-circuited with the emitter of the vertical PNP transistor, the base whereof is connected to the base of the vertical PNP transistor and the collector whereof is connected to the N-type well, and operates as a switch which biases the N-type well at a voltage which is close to the voltage of the emitter of the vertical PNP transistor when the latter is saturated, reverse-biasing the collector/N-well junction, and opens when the vertical PNP transistor is off, limiting the voltage applied to the collector/N-well junction.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.