Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device with simultaneous and distributed self-biasing for multi-finger turn-on

US7372681B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Sarnoff Corporation · US
• Sarnoff Europe · BE

Inventors

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

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 13, 2005
• Grant date: May 13, 2008
• Expiry date: Apr 28, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L2924/0002

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) that protects core circuitry of the IC during normal operations, and shunts ESD events during non-powered mode of the IC. The ESD protection circuitry includes a multi-fingered MOS transistor, each finger respectively adapted for coupling between an I/O pad and a first supply line of the IC. An ESD detector is coupled to the I/O pad via a first terminal, and a second terminal is adapted for coupling to a second supply line potential of the IC. A parasitic capacitance is formed between the second supply line potential of the IC and the first supply line potential. A transfer circuit is coupled to a third terminal of the ESD detector and is adapted for biasing at least one gate respectively associated with at least one finger of the multi-fingered MOS transistor.