Patent · US Expired

Depletion controlled isolation stage

US5977596A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
8References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 29, 1998
Grant dateNov 2, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 29, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D89/711

Abstract

An input protection device is presented having a depletion controlled isolation stage. In one embodiment of the invention, a depletion controlled isolation resistor is formed between adjacent N+ diffused regions by N-well diffusion. One N+ diffused region electrically contacts an input bond pad and a primary protective device. The other N+ diffused region electrically contacts a second protective device and the internal circuit it is to protect. The depletion controlled isolation resistor limits the amount of current passing through the resistor to a safe level during an over-voltage condition. In another embodiment of the invention, a depletion controlled isolation stage includes a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) as the primary protective device in combination with the depletion controlled isolation resistor.

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