Multi-channel homogenous path for enhanced mutual triggering of electrostatic discharge fingers

US8735979B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED · US

Inventors

• Philippe Deval · Lutry, CH
• Marija Fernandez · Lausanne, CH
• Patrick Besseux · Gland, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 19, 2012
• Grant date: May 27, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 19, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D62/378

Abstract

Mutual triggering of electrostatic discharge (ESD) fingers is improved by creating a base contact in each individual finger and connecting all of these base contacts in parallel. The local base contact in each ESD finger is located at a position where the base voltage significantly increases when the ESD current increases. Thus when an ESD finger is triggered its local base voltage will tend to significantly increase. Since all of the ESD finger bases are connected in parallel this local voltage increase will forward bias the base-emitter junctions of the other ESD fingers, thus triggering them all. By sharing the triggering current from the fastest ESD finger with the slower ones ensures that all ESD fingers are triggered during an ESD event.