Method and apparatus for preventing microcircuit thermo-mechanical damage during an ESD event
AssigneeESD Pulse, Inc.
InventorsVladimir Rodov, Wlodzimierz Woytek 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.
Claims10
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 substantially or greater than to one-half of the length of the active device region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.