APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR BIDIRECTIONAL ESD PROTECTION IN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

摘要

An integrated circuit includes a bidirectional ESD protection device (400) which has a plurality of parallel switch legs (402). Each switch leg includes a first current switch (404) and a second current switch (406) in a back-to-back configuration. A first current supply node (408) of each first current switch is coupled to a first terminal. A second current supply node (414) of each second current switch is coupled to a second terminal. A first current collection node (410) of each first current switch is coupled to a second current collection node (416) of the corresponding second current switch. The first current collection node in each first current switch is not coupled to any other first current collection node, and similarly, the second current collection node in each instance second current switch is not coupled to any other second current collection node.