Silicon controlled rectifier electrostatic discharge protection device for power supply lines with powerdown mode of operation

US6850397B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Sarnoff Corporation · US
• Sarnoff Europe · BE

Inventors

• Cornelius Christian Russ · Diedorf, DE
• Markus Mergens · Plainsboro, US
• John Armer · Middlesex, US
• Koen Gerard Maria Verhaege · Gistel, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 25, 2003
• Grant date: Feb 1, 2005
• Expiry date: Aug 25, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D8/80

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device, for protecting power lines of an integrated circuit. In one embodiment, the ESD protection device includes a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) coupled between a first power line and a second power line, and a second SCR coupled anti-parallel to the first SCR between the first and second power lines. A first trigger device is coupled to the first power line and a first trigger gate of the first SCR, and a second trigger device coupled to the second power line and a first trigger gate of the second SCR. The trigger devices and the SCRs provide power-down-mode-compatible operation of the power lines, as well as ESD protection.