Method and apparatus for preventing microcircuit thermo-mechanical damage during an ESD event
AssigneeESD Pulse, Inc.
InventorsVladimir Rodov, Wlodzimierz Tworzydlo
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for preventing thermo-mechanical damage to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed. The method and apparatus of the invention use materials with superior thermo-mechanical properties, in particular, the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE), melting temperature, tensile strength and fracture toughness. The thermo-mechanical energy absorber materials are incorporated in, or replace, components of the ESD device that are susceptible to thermo-mechanical stress and cracking due to localized heating and thermal expansion.
Claims39
An integrated circuit incorporating an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- an electrical contact pad;
- an ESD switch coupled to the pad and having an active device region formed in the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- a thermal energy absorbing region formed in the semiconductor substrate in thermal contact with said active device region made from a material substantially more resistant to thermo-mechanical expansion than said active device region.
The integrated circuit incorporating an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- an electrical contact pad;
- a plurality of active devices formed on the substrate;
- a first connector formed of a first electrically conductive material connecting the plurality of active devices;
- and
- an ESD switch coupled to the pad, at least in part via a second connector, said ESD switch having an active device region in the semiconductor substrate, and wherein said active device region has a length, said second connector electrically connected to the ESD switch comprising material more resistant to thermo-mechanical expansion than said first connector formed of said first electrical conductive material wherein the second connector extends away from the substrate a distance at least equal to one-half of the length of the active device region.
The integrated circuit incorporating an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- an electrical contact pad;
- a connector electrically connected to the electrical contact pad;
- and
- an ESD switch coupled to the pad, at least in part via the connector, said ESD switch having an active device region in the semiconductor substrate, and wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises a thermo-mechanical energy sink fabricated from material resistant to thermo-mechanical expansion, the material having physical properties including a low thermal expansion coefficient lower than approximately 5×10−6° K.−1.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a core circuit comprising a plurality of devices having electrical connectors and active device regions formed in the semiconductor substrate and one or more electrical insulator regions;
- and
- an ESD circuit comprising an active device having an active device region formed in a substrate material, one or more electrical connectors, and one or more electrical insulator regions, and one or more passive components wherein at least one of said substrate material, electrical connectors, active device region, passive circuit components or electrical insulator is composed in whole or in part of a material substantially more resistant to thermo-mechanical damage than the corresponding structure in said core circuit devices.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a core circuit comprising a plurality of devices having electrical connectors and active device regions formed in the semiconductor substrate and one or more electrical insulator regions;
- and
- an ESD switch having means, integrated with the switch structure, for preventing thermo-mechanical damage due to an ESD event.
A method of fabricating an ESD device on a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
- fabricating an ESD switch from one or more connectors and one or more active device regions formed in the semiconductor substrate;
- providing a region composed of a material resistant to thermo-mechanical expansion, the region in thermal contact with said switch, wherein the material has physical properties including a low thermal expansion coefficient lower than approximately 5×10−6° K.−1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.