| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080211027 | ESD structure without ballasting resistors - An electrostatic discharge (ESD) structure connected to a bonding pad in an integrated circuit comprising: a P-type substrate with one or more first P+ regions connected to a low voltage supply (GND), a first Nwell formed in the P-type substrate, one or more second P+ regions disposed inside the first Nwell and connected to the bonding pad, at least one first N+ region disposed outside the first Nwell but in the P-type substrate and connected to the GND, at least one second N+ region disposed outside the first Nwell but in the P-type substrate and connected to the bonding pad, wherein the second N+ region is farther away from the first Nwell than the first N+ region, and at least one conductive material disposed above the P-type substrate between the first and second N+ regions and coupled to the GND, wherein the first N+ region, the second N+ region and the conductive material form the source, drain and gate of an NMOS transistor, respectively, and the first P+ region is farther away from the first Nwell than the NMOS transistor. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080233686 | ESD PROTECTION FOR HIGH VOLTAGE APPLICATIONS - An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device includes a diode located in a substrate and an N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device located in the substrate adjacent the diode, wherein both the diode and the NMOS are coupled to an input device, and at least a portion of the diode and at least a portion of the NMOS device collectively form an ESD protection device. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20090008710 | Robust ESD LDMOS Device - A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the gate electrode has a gate width direction; a source/drain region in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent the gate electrode, wherein the source/drain region has a first width in a direction parallel to the gate width direction; and a bulk pick-up region in the semiconductor substrate and abutting the source/drain region. The bulk pick-up region and the source/drain region have opposite conductivity types. The bulk pick-up region has a second width in the width direction, and wherein the second width is substantially less than the first width. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090101937 | NOVEL METHOD FOR FOUR DIRECTION LOW CAPACITANCE ESD PROTECTION - The invention describes a structure and a process for providing ESD semiconductor protection with reduced input capacitance. The structure consists of heavily doped P+ guard rings surrounding the I/O ESD protection device and the Vcc to Bss protection device. In addition, there is a heavily doped N+ guard ring surrounding the I/O protection device its P+ guard ring. The guard rings enhance structure diode elements providing enhanced ESD energy discharge path capability enabling the elimination of a specific conventional Vss to I/O pad ESD protection device. This reduces the capacitance seen by the I/O circuit while still providing adequate ESD protection for the active circuit devices. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20100013016 | ESD Protection Structures on SOI Substrates - An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a buried oxide layer; a semiconductor layer on the buried oxide layer; and a first and a second MOS device. The first MOS device includes a first gate over the semiconductor layer; a first well region having a portion underlying the first gate; and a first source region and a first drain region in the semiconductor layer. The second MOS device includes a second gate over the semiconductor layer; and a second well region having a portion underlying the first gate. The second well region is connected to a discharging node. The first well region is connected to the discharging node through the second well region, and is not directly connected to the discharging node. The second MOS device further includes a second source region and a second drain region in the semiconductor layer and adjoining the second well region. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100200922 | Electrostatic Discharge Protection Device and Method - Embodiments of the invention relate to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device and method for forming an ESD device. An embodiment is an ESD protection device comprising a p well disposed in a substrate, an n well disposed in the substrate, a high voltage n well (HVNW) disposed between the p well and the n well in the substrate, a source n+ region disposed in the p well, and a plurality of drain n+ regions disposed in the n well. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100254050 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PROTECTION DEVICE - A semiconductor device is provided. In an embodiment, the semiconductor device includes an inverter. The inverter is coupled to an NMOS device. The NMOS device may be protection device which protects the inverter from charging effects and/or plasma induced damage. The NMOS device may be coupled to a power source (e.g., Vss). The NMOS device may be further coupled to a capacitor. The charge of the capacitor may discharge a current through the NMOS device to the power source. | 10-07-2010 |