Efficient protection structure for reverse pin-to-pin electrostatic discharge
US6919603B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jul 19, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
Abstract
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure for protecting against ESD events between signal terminals is disclosed. ESD protection is provided in a first polarity, by a bipolar transistor (4C) formed in an n-well (64; 164), having a collector contact (72; 172) to one signal terminal (PIN1) and its emitter region (68; 168) and base (66; 166) connected to a second signal terminal (PIN2). For reverse polarity ESD protection, a diode (25) is formed in the same n-well (64; 164) by a p+ region (78; 178) connected to the second signal terminal (PIN2), serving as the anode. The cathode can correspond to the n-well (64; 164) itself, as contacted by the collector contact (72; 172). By using the same n-well (64; 164) for both devices, the integrated circuit chip area required to implement this pin-to-pin protection is much reduced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.