ESD power clamp with stable power start up function

US8969914B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GlobalFoundries Inc. · KY

Inventors

• Sreenivasa Chalamala · Dresden, DE
• Matthias Baer · Hohenstein-Ernstthal, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 6, 2008
• Grant date: Mar 3, 2015
• Expiry date: Mar 17, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D89/819

Abstract

An integrated circuit including a first power rail, a second power rail, a power clamp connected between the first and second power rails; and a trigger circuit connected to the power clamp and the first second power rails. The trigger circuit includes an RC element formed on the basis of field effect transistors, first inverter stage connected to the RC element, a second inverter stage, and a third inverter stage. The first, second and third inverter stages are connected in series to a control input of the power clamp. The trigger circuit also included a feed back connection from an output of the second inverter stage to the first inverter stage.