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US 2013/0075854 A1Published application
High Voltage ESD Protection Apparatus
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsYi-Feng Chang, Jam-Wem Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ESD protection apparatus comprises a metal contact formed on the emitter of a transistor. The metal contact has a different conductivity type from the emitter. In addition, the metal contact and the emitter of the transistor form a diode connected in series with the transistor. The diode connected in series with the transistor provides extra headroom for the breakdown voltage of the ESD protection apparatus.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- an NPN transistor having
- a collector formed by a N+ region;
- a base formed by a first P+ region, a low voltage p well with a first doping density and a high voltage p well with a second doping, wherein the first doping density is substantially higher than the second doping density;
- and
- an emitter formed by a first low voltage n well;
- and
- a diode formed by a p-type region and the first low voltage n well, wherein
- the p-type region is formed on the first low voltage n well;
- and wherein the diode and the NPN transistor are connected in series.
6 more elements
A device comprising:
- a PNP transistor having
- a collector formed by a P+ region;
- a base formed by a first N+ region, a low voltage n well with a first doping density and a high voltage n well with a second doping density, wherein the first doping density is substantially higher than the second doping density;
- and
- an emitter formed by a first low voltage p well;
- a diode formed by an n-type region and the first low voltage p well, wherein
- the n-type region is formed on the first low voltage p well;
- and
- the diode and the PNP transistor are connected in series.
6 more elements
A circuit comprising:
- an input and output (I/O) terminal;
- and
- a first electrostatic discharge protection device comprising
- a diode formed by a metal contact and an emitter of a transistor;
- and
- the transistor, wherein
- the diode and the transistor are connected in series;
- and wherein
- the diode and the transistor are coupled between the I/O terminal and ground.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.