Circuitry for protecting electronic circuits against electrostatic discharges and methods of operating the same
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsFrancois Icher, Bruno Dehos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for protecting an electronic circuit against electrostatic discharges comprises a connection terminal linked to one terminal of the electronic circuit, two tracks respectively linked to two terminals of an electrical power source supplying the electronic circuit, and two diodes each one linked to one of the two tracks and to the connection terminal. The two diodes are placed on a surface of a substrate. The connection terminal is carried by the substrate and is located above part of at least one of the two diodes with respect to the substrate.
Claims8
A device for protecting an electronic circuit against electrostatic discharges, the device comprising:
- a connection terminal linked to one terminal of said electronic circuit,
- first and second tracks couplable respectively to first and second terminals of an electrical power source, wherein the first track has a higher electrical potential than the second track,
- a first diode having a cathode linked to the first track and an anode linked to the connection terminal, and
- a second diode having a cathode linked to the connection terminal and an anode linked to the second track,
- wherein the first and second diodes are associated with the surface of a substrate, the connection terminal and the first and second tracks carried by said substrate, the connection terminal located above part of at least one of the first and second diodes with respect to the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and part of each of the first and second tracks are at least partially located between said part of at least one of the first and second diodes and the connection terminal.
An electrical device comprising an electronic circuit and a device for protecting against electrostatic discharges, the device comprising:
- a connection terminal linked to one terminal of said electronic circuit,
- first and second tracks couplable respectively to first and second terminals of an electrical power source, wherein the first track has a higher electrical potential than the second track,
- a first diode having a cathode linked to the first track and an anode linked to the connection terminal, and
- a second diode having a cathode linked to the connection terminal and an anode linked to the second track,
- wherein the first and second diodes are associated with the surface of a substrate, the connection terminal and the first and second tracks carried by said substrate, the connection terminal located above part of at least one of the first and second diodes with respect to the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and part of each of the first and second tracks are at least partially located between said part of at least one of the first and second diodes and the connection terminal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.