Semiconductor device serving as a protecting element
AssigneeRenesas Technology Corp.
InventorAkio Uenishi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The protecting element includes an NPN transistor having an emitter connected to an input/output terminal and a collector and a base connected to a ground terminal. The input/output terminal has the possibility of receiving a surge voltage. The input/output terminal, which may be referred to as a pad, is connected to a semiconductor integrated circuit IC to be protected against the surge voltage. The arrangement of the semiconductor integrated circuit IC is not limited to a specific one.
Claims11
A semiconductor device interposed between an input/output terminal and a ground terminal of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and serving as a protecting element for protecting said semiconductor integrated circuit against electrostatic discharge, comprising:
- first and second NPN transistors and a PNP transistor, wherein
- said first and second NPN transistors have emitters being commonly connected, said first NPN transistor has a collector and a base connected to said input/output terminal, and said second NPN transistor has a collector and a base connected to said ground terminal, and
- said PNP transistor has a base commonly connected to said emitters of said first and second NPN transistors, an emitter connected to said input/output terminal, and a collector connected to said ground terminal.
A semiconductor device interposed between an input/output terminal and a ground terminal of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and serving as a protecting element for protecting said semiconductor integrated circuit against electrostatic discharge, comprising:
- an NPN transistor, a PNP transistor, and a diode, wherein
- an emitter of said NPN transistor, a base of said PNP transistor, and a cathode of said diode are commonly connected,
- an anode of said diode and an emitter of said PNP transistor are connected to said input/output terminal,
- a collector and a base of said NPN transistor are connected to said ground terminal, and
- a collector of said PNP transistor is connected to said ground terminal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.