APPARATUSES AND METHOD FOR OVER-VOLTAGE EVENT PROTECTION

摘要

Circuits, integrated circuits, apparatuses, and methods, such as those for protecting circuits against electrostatic discharge events are disclosed. An example apparatus comprises a thyristor coupled to a node and configured to limit the voltage and discharge the current associated with an over-voltage event at the node. The over-voltage event includes a negative voltage having a magnitude that exceeds a trigger voltage of the thyristor, The example apparatus further comprising a transistor coupled to the thyristor and configured to adjust the magnitude of the trigger voltage.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a conductive path circuit configured to discharge current associated with an over-voltage event at an input node responsive to a voltage of the input node having a magnitude that exceeds a trigger voltage; and a trigger circuit coupled to the conductive path circuit, the trigger circuit comprising:
a first transistor coupled to the conductive path circuit and configured to adjust the magnitude of the trigger voltage; anda lateral bipolar junction transistor merged with the first transistor and wherein the first transistor and the bipolar junction transistor share at least two doped regions.