Electrostatic discharge protection device
AssigneeSofics BVBA
InventorsBart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Sven Van Wijmeersch, Wim Vanhouteghem
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Abstract
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed including at least an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the ESD protection device may be configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event. The transistors may be coupled such that a collector of the NPN may be coupled to the first node. A collector of the PNP may be coupled to the second node. A base of the NPN may be coupled to the emitter of the PNP. An emitter of the NPN may be coupled to a base of the PNP.
Claims22
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device coupled between a first node and a second node, the ESD protection device comprising:
- a first lowly doped region of a P dopant type;
- a second lowly doped region of a N dopant type formed within the first lowly doped region;
- a third lowly doped region of a P dopant type formed within the second lowly doped region;
- a fourth region including a first highly doped region of the N dopant type, wherein the fourth region is formed directly within the third lowly doped region, the first highly doped region is coupled to the first node;
- and
- a fifth region including a second highly doped region of the P dopant type, wherein the fifth region is formed directly within the first lowly doped region, the second highly doped region is coupled to the second node;
- wherein a voltage at the first highly doped region is higher than a voltage at the second highly doped region, and further wherein a junction between the fourth region and the third lowly doped region is configured to enter into reverse breakdown in response to an ESD event, and a junction between the second lowly doped region and the first lowly doped region is configured to enter into a reverse breakdown in response to the ESD event, such that the ESD protection device is configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event.
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device coupled between a first node and a second node, the ESD protection device comprising:
- a first lowly doped region of a N dopant type;
- a second lowly doped region of a P dopant type formed within the first lowly doped region;
- a third lowly doped region of a N dopant type formed within the second lowly doped region;
- a fourth region including a first highly doped region of the N dopant type, wherein the fourth region is formed directly within the first lowly doped region, the first highly doped region is coupled to the first node;
- and
- a fifth region including a second highly doped region of the P dopant type, wherein the fifth region is formed directly within the third lowly doped region, the second highly doped region is coupled to the second node;
- wherein a voltage at the first highly doped region is higher than a voltage at the second highly doped region, and further wherein a junction between the first lowly doped region and the second lowly doped region is configured to enter into reverse breakdown in response to an ESD event, and a junction between the third lowly doped region and the fifth region is configured to enter into a reverse breakdown in response to the ESD event, such that the ESD protection device is configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event.
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device coupled between a first node and a second node, the ESD protection device comprising:
- an NPN transistor including a first collector, a first emitter, and a first base;
- and
- a PNP transistor including a second collector, a second emitter, and a second base;
- wherein the first collector is coupled to the first node, the second collector is coupled to the second node, the first base is coupled to the second emitter, and the first emitter is coupled to the second base, wherein a first lowly doped region of a P dopant type functions as both the first base of the NPN transistor and the second emitter of the PNP transistor, wherein a second lowly doped region of a N dopant type functions as both the first emitter of the NPN transistor and the second base of the PNP transistor, wherein no resistive element is coupled between the first collector and the first base, no resistive element is coupled between the second base and the second collector, and wherein the ESD protection device is configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.