METHOD TO PROTECT SENSITIVE DEVICES FROM ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE DAMAGE

摘要

ESD protection circuitry that includes one, or more, of the following features, characteristics and/or advantages: (i) use of different “diode types” (for example, Schottky type, PN type, p-type diode-connected field-effect transistor (FET) type, NFET type)) in a series-connected diode set (connected in series with respect to a device-under-protection) and a parallel-connected diode set (connected in parallel with respect to a device-under-protection and the series-connected diode set); (ii) a FET is connected in series with a target device such that the FET's gate can be turned on during normal operation and the FET's gate is resistively coupled to the FET's source; and/or (iii) two FETs are connected in series with a target device such both FETs gates can be turned on during normal operation, one FET's gate is resistively coupled to its source, and the other FET's gate is electrically coupled to its drain.

主权项

1. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuitry comprising:
a target device; a series-connected diode(s) set including one, or more, diode(s); and a parallel-connected diode(s) set including one, or more, diodes; wherein: the series-connected diode(s) set is electrically connected in series with the target device; the parallel-connected diode(s) set is electrically connected in parallel with a circuit element formed by the series-connected diode(s) set and the target device; and the diode type of at least one diode of the series-connected diode(s) set is different from the diode type of at least one of the parallel-connected diode(s) set.