US 7,072,158 B2 · Electrostatic discharge protection circuit

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is disclosed, which comprises a first common conductive line, a first diode, a P-type transistor and an N-type transistor. A cathode of the first diode is coupled to the first common conductive line, and an anode of the first diode is coupled to the first system voltage. A first S/D terminal and a gate terminal of the first P-type transistor is coupled to the first system voltage and a second S/D terminal of the first P-type transistor is coupled to the first pad. A first S/D terminal of the first N-type transistor is coupled to the first common conductive line, a gate terminal of the first N-type transistor is coupled to the first ground voltage, and a second S/D terminal of the first N-type transistor is coupled to the first pad. Therefore, the present invention can efficiently introduce the ESD pulse from a pad to a system voltage or another pad for protecting the internal circuit from damage.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit coupled to a first pad of an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit having a plurality of system voltage sets, the system voltages including a first system voltage and a first ground voltage, the ESD protection circuit comprising:

a first common conductive line;
a first diode, a cathode of the first diode coupled to the first common conductive line, an anode of the first diode coupled to the first system voltage;
a first P-type transistor, a first S/D terminal and a gate terminal of the first P-type transistor coupled to the first system voltage, a second S/D terminal of the first P-type transistor coupled to the first pad;
and
a first N-type transistor, a first S/D terminal of the first N-type transistor directly coupled to the first common conductive line, a gate terminal of the first N-type transistor coupled to the first ground voltage, a second S/D terminal of the first N-type transistor coupled to the first pad.

2 more elements

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit coupled to a first pad of an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit having a plurality of system voltage sets, the system voltages including a first ground voltage, the ESD protection circuit comprising:

a first common conductive line;
a first diode, a cathode of the first diode coupled to the first ground voltage, an anode of the first diode coupled to the first common conductive line;
and
a first N-type transistor, a first S/D terminal of the first N-type transistor coupled to the first pad, a gate terminal and a substrate terminal of the first N-type transistor coupled to the first ground voltage, a second S/D terminal of the first N-type transistor coupled to the first common conductive line.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit

Life of this patent

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12