Patent · US Expired

Electrostatic discharge protection structures for high speed technologies with mixed and ultra-low voltage supplies

US7589944B2 · kind B2 · utility

28Cited by

65References

18Claims

0Family size

Assignee

SOFICS BVBA · BE

Inventors

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

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 26, 2004
Grant date	Sep 15, 2009
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jul 26, 2024

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH03K17/305
WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit in a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) having protected circuitry. In one embodiment, the ESD protection circuit includes a pad adapted for connection to a first voltage source of a protected circuit node of the IC, and a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) having an anode adapted for coupling to the first voltage source, and a cathode adapted for coupling to a second voltage source. At least one capacitive turn-on device respectively coupled between at least one of a first gate of the SCR and the first voltage source, and a second gate of the SCR and the second voltage source.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.