Low voltage triggering electrostatic discharge protection circuit

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge protection circuit comprises a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a floating semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, a first doped region of the first conductivity type, a first doped region of the second conductivity type, a second doped region of the second conductivity type, a gate structure, and a second doped region of the first conductivity type. The floating semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type is in contact with the semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type to establish a junction therebetween. The first doped region of the first conductivity type is formed in the semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type and connected to a first node. The first doped region of the second conductivity type is formed in the semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and connected to a second node. The second doped region of the second conductivity type spans the junction. The gate structure overlies a portion of the semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type between those doped regions of the second conductivity type. The second doped region of the first conductivity type is formed in the semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and connected to the second node. The second doped region of the second conductivity type will break down to trigger the conduction of a discharge current flowing through the junction when electrostatic discharge stress occurs between the first node and the second node.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.