Electrostatic discharge protection silicon controlled rectifier (ESD-SCR) for silicon germanium technologies

US6770918B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Sarnoff Corporation · US

Inventors

• Cornelius Christian Russ · Diedorf, DE
• John Armer · Middlesex, US
• Markus Mergens · Plainsboro, US
• Phillip Czeslaw Jozwiak · Plainsboro, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 10, 2002
• Grant date: Aug 3, 2004
• Expiry date: Sep 10, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D62/822

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device having a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) for protecting circuitry of an integrated circuit (IC). The SCR includes a N-doped layer disposed over a substrate and a first P doped region disposed over the N-doped layer. At least one first N+ doped region forming a cathode is disposed over the P-doped region and coupled to ground. The at least one first N+ doped region, first P-doped region, and N-doped layer form a vertical NPN transistor of the SCR. A second P doped region forming an anode is coupled to a protected pad. The second P doped region is disposed over the N-doped layer, and is laterally positioned and electrically isolated with respect to the first P doped region. The second P doped region, N-doped layer, and first P doped region form a lateral PNP transistor of the SCR.