Compact protection device for protecting an integrated circuit against electrostatic discharge
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorJohan Bourgeat
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated circuit includes a power supply terminal, a reference terminal, and a signal terminal. A first protection device is coupled between the signal terminal and the power supply terminal, the first protection device including a first MOS transistor. A second protection device is coupled between the signal terminal and the reference terminal, the second protection device including a second MOS transistor. Gates of the MOS transistors are directly or indirectly coupled to the reference terminal. Substrates of the MOS transistors are coupled to the reference terminal via a common resistor.
Claims20
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a power supply terminal;
- a reference terminal;
- a first signal terminal;
- a second signal terminal;
- a first protection device coupled between the first signal terminal and the power supply terminal;
- a second protection device coupled between the first signal terminal and the reference terminal;
- a third protection device coupled between the second signal terminal and the power supply terminal;
- a fourth protection device coupled between the second signal terminal and the reference terminal;
- and
- a MOS protection transistor having a first electrode coupled to said signal terminal and a second electrode coupled to said second signal terminal, wherein a gate of the MOS protection transistor is indirectly coupled to the reference terminal, and a substrate of the MOS protection transistor is coupled to the reference terminal via a first common resistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.