METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF BULK CMOS LATCHUP

摘要

A method and apparatus are provided for detection and prevention of bulk complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) latchup. A separate power distribution is provided for coupling a positive voltage supply rail to the N well and a ground voltage supply rail to the P well of the CMOS circuit. At least one sensor monitors current flow in a bias voltage applied to at least one of an N well and a P well of the CMOS circuitry. A latchup event is detected responsive to a predefined increase in the monitored current flow. A switch temporarily interrupts the connection of at least one of the N well and the P well to the respective voltage supply rail when the latchup event is detected.