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US 7,411,767 B2Granted
Multi-domain ESD protection circuit structure
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsShao-Chang Huang, Chi-Di An, Ming-Hsiang Song
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-domain ESD protection circuit structure is described. The preferred embodiment of the present invention selects power lines of an internal circuit as ESD buses. The power lines of the remaining internal circuits are coupled with the ESD buses through the ESD connection cells. In another embodiment of the preferred invention, the VDD power line from one internal circuit and the VSS power line from another circuit are selected as ESD buses. In yet another embodiment, either a VDD power line or a VSS power line of an internal circuit is selected as an ESD bus.
Claims26
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit structure comprising:
- a plurality of first power lines;
- a plurality of second power lines;
- an ESD bus;
- a plurality of first internal circuits, each coupled between one of the first power lines and one of the second power lines;
- a third power line;
- a fourth power line;
- a second internal circuit connected to the third power line and coupled to the fourth power line;
- a plurality of first ESD bi-directional connection cells, each connected between one of the first power lines and the third power line;
- a plurality of second ESD bi-directional connection cells, each coupled between one of the second power lines and the ESD bus;
- an ESD bi-directional connection cell coupled between the fourth power line and the ESD bus;
- and
- an ESD clamp coupled between the third power line and the ESD bus.
9 more elements
An ESD protection circuit structure comprising:
- a plurality of first power lines;
- a plurality of second power lines;
- a plurality of first internal circuits, each coupled between one of the plurality of first power lines and one of the plurality of second power lines;
- a third power line;
- a fourth power line;
- a second internal circuit connected to the third power line and coupled to the fourth power line;
- a fifth power line;
- a sixth power line;
- a third internal circuit coupled to the fifth power line and connected to the sixth power line;
- a plurality of first ESD bi-directional connection cells, each coupled between one of the plurality of first power lines and the third power line;
- a plurality of second ESD bi-directional connection cells, each coupled between one of the plurality of second power lines and the sixth power line;
- a third ESD bi-directional connection cell coupled between the fourth power line and the sixth power line;
- and
- a fourth ESD bi-directional connection cell coupled between the third power line and the fifth power line.
11 more elements
An ESD protection circuit structure comprising:
- a first ESD bus and a second ESD bus;
- a plurality of first compound ESD devices, each of the first compound ESD devices having a power line coupled to an ESD connection cell;
- a plurality of second compound ESD devices, each of the second compound ESD devices having a power line coupled to an ESD connection cell;
- a plurality of first internal circuits, each coupled with the first ESD bus through one of the first compound ESD devices, wherein the ESD connection cell of the first compound ESD device is coupled with the first ESD bus and wherein the power line of the first compound ESD device is coupled with the first internal circuit;
- a plurality of second internal circuits, each coupled with the second ESD bus through one of the second compound ESD devices wherein the ESD connection cell of the second compound ESD device is coupled with the second ESD bus and the power line of the second compound ESD device is coupled with the second internal circuit;
- a third internal circuit having a first end connected to the first ESD bus;
- and
- an ESD clamp coupled between the first ESD bus and the second ESD bus.
5 more elements
A whole chip ESD protection circuit structure comprising:
- a plurality of ESD protection circuit structures wherein each ESD protection circuit structure comprises a first ESD bus, a second ESD bus, a plurality of first compound ESD devices, a plurality of second compound ESD devices, a plurality of first internal circuits, a plurality of second internal circuits, a third internal circuit and an ESD clamp, wherein;
- each of the plurality of first compound ESD devices has a power line coupled to an ESD connection cell;
- each of the plurality of second compound ESD devices has a power line coupled to an ESD connection cell;
- each of the first internal circuits is coupled with the first ESD bus through one of the first compound ESD devices wherein the ESD connection cell of the first compound ESD device is coupled with the first ESD bus and the power line of the first compound ESD device is coupled with the first internal circuit;
- each of the second internal circuits is coupled with the second ESD bus though one of the second compound ESD devices and wherein the ESD connection cell of the second compound ESD device is coupled with the second ESD bus and wherein the power line of the second compound ESD device is coupled with the second internal circuit;
- the third internal circuit has a first end connected to the first ESD bus;
- the ESD clamp is coupled between the first ESD bus and the second ESD bus;
- and
- a plurality of ESD clamp devices, wherein the first ESD bus and the second ESD bus of the plurality of ESD protection circuit structures are coupled by the plurality of ESD clamp devices.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.