Self ESD protected device and method thereof

摘要

A self ESD protected RF transistor. The RF transistor is connected to a sub-circuit which causes the RF transistor to self-protect from ESD damage. The sub-circuit triggers the RF transistor to clamp a positive polarity ESD pulse to ground/emitter terminal. The sub-circuit also shunts a negative polarity ESD pulse to ground.

主权项

1. A sub-circuit for protecting an electronic circuit from an Electro-Static Discharge (ESD), the electronic circuit comprising one or more transistors, the sub-circuit comprising:
a trigger circuit connected between a collector terminal and a base terminal of each of the one or more transistors, the trigger circuit configured to trigger the one or more transistors to a pre-defined state on a positive polarity ESD pulse, the one or more transistors operating in the pre-defined state clamping the positive polarity ESD pulse; and a leakage circuit connected between the base terminal and an emitter terminal of the each of the one or more transistors, wherein the leakage circuit and the trigger circuit shunt a negative polarity ESD pulse to ground.