Integrated circuit device and a method for providing ESD protection

摘要

An integrated circuit (IC) device including an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection network for a high voltage application. The ESD protection network includes a common diode structure coupled between an external contact of the IC device and a substrate of the IC device, such that the common diode structure is forward biased towards the external contact, a Darlington transistor structure coupled between the external contact and the substrate of the IC device, and the Darlington transistor structure includes: an emitter node coupled to the external contact; a collector node coupled to the substrate; and a base node coupled between the emitter node of the Darlington transistor structure and the common diode structure. The at least one ESD protection network further comprises an isolation diode structure coupled between the emitter node and the base node of the Darlington transistor structure such that the isolation diode structure is forward biased towards the base node.

主权项

1. An integrated circuit (IC) device comprising at least one electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection network for a high voltage application, the at least one ESD protection network comprising:
a common diode structure operably coupled between at least one external contact of the IC device for which ESD protection is to be provided and a substrate of the IC device such that the common diode structure is forward biased towards the at least one external contact; at least one Darlington transistor structure operably coupled between the at least one external contact of the IC device for which ESD protection is to be provided and the substrate of the IC device, the at least one Darlington transistor structure comprising:
an emitter node operably coupled to the at least one external contact of the IC device;a collector node operably coupled to the substrate of the IC device; anda base node operably coupled between the emitter node of the Darlington transistor structure and the common diode structure; and at least one isolation diode structure operably coupled between the emitter node and the base node of the at least one Darlington transistor structure such that the at least one isolation diode structure is forward biased towards the base node.