Patent · US Expired

Input/output protection device for use in semiconductor device

US5717559A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
3References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 1996
Grant dateFeb 10, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 26, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D89/911

Abstract

An input/output protection device for protecting an internal circuit of an integrated circuit formed on a P-type substrate, from an electrostatic discharge (ESD), includes a thyristor connected between a terminal connected to the internal circuit and a common wiring conductor. The protection device comprises a N-well formed in the P-type substrate, a first P-type diffused region formed in the N-well and connected to the terminal, a first N-diffused region formed to adjoin the first N-well, a second P-type diffused region formed in close proximity to the first N-type diffused region, and a second N-type diffused region formed in the P-type substrate and connected to the common wiring conductor. An external resistor is connected between the first P-type diffused region and the first N-type diffused region, and another external resistor is connected between the second P-type diffused region and the second N-type diffused region. A diode is constituted of the first N-diffused region and the second P-type diffused region in close proximity to each other, so that the diode has a low parasitic resistance. Thus, when a negative electrostatic pulse is applied to the terminal, the diode allo…

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