Electrostatic discharge (ESD) silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) with lateral gated section

US9318479B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• Junjun Li · Williston, US
• Xin Zhang · Shanghai, CN
• Xiaofeng Fan · Hangzhou City, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 13, 2015
• Grant date: Apr 19, 2016
• Expiry date: Apr 13, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D89/713

Abstract

In an embodiment, an ESD protection circuit may include an STI-bound SCR and a gated SCR that may be electrically in parallel with the STI-bound SCR. The gated SCR may be perpendicular to the STI-bound SCR in a plane of the semiconductor substrate. In an embodiment, the gated SCR may trigger more quickly and turn on more quickly than the STI-bound SCR. The STI-bound SCR may form the main current path for an ESD event. A low capacitive load with rapid response to ESD events may thus be formed. In an embodiment, the anode of the two SCRs may be shared.