Electrostatic discharge protection circuit

US7405914B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUM VZW · BE
• AMI Semiconductor, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Koen Reynders · Oudenaarde, BE
• Mahmud Zubeidat · Brussels, BE
• Vincent De Heyn · Braives, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 28, 2004
• Grant date: Jul 29, 2008
• Expiry date: Aug 31, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D89/711

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for the protection of an electronic circuit from an ESD event. The electronic circuit, in operation, is provided with a supply voltage and a reference voltage (typically electrical ground) via voltage terminals and/or power supply buses. The protection circuit includes two bipolar transistors in series, where the transistors are coupled between the supply voltage terminal/bus and the reference voltage terminal/bus. The bases of the transistors are coupled via a connection including two resistors in series, where the connection point between the two resistors is coupled with the connection point between the two transistors.