Patent · US Expired

Input protection structure for integrated circuits

US5247201A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
4References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 3, 1992
Grant dateSep 21, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 3, 2012

Classification

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

Abstract

An integrated circuit has an input, a terminal for a reference potential, and a semiconductor substrate. An input protection structure for the integrated circuit is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and is connected between the input and the terminal for a reference potential. The input protection structure includes at least one transistor and an integrated diode. The at least one transistor has a collector in the form of a buried zone connected to the input, an emitter in the form of at least one doped zone to be connected to the reference potential, the collector and emitter defining a collector-to-emitter path, and a base in the form of at least one doped zone being insulated except for electrical contact with the emitter and the collector. The integrated diode is formed by at least the buried zone and the semiconductor substrate and is connected parallel to the collector-to-emitter path of the transistor.

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