BICMOS electrostatic discharge protection circuit

Details BICMOS electrostatic discharge protection circuit BICMOS electrostatic discharge protection circuit

1994-03-15

1996-05-28

Pellinen, A. D.

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Safety and protection of systems and devices

Transient responsive

361 56, 361 91, H02H 904

Patent

active

055217893

ABSTRACT:
An enhanced bipolar-transistor apparatus for protecting electronic devices from electrostatic discharge damage. The apparatus is built around a bipolar transistor coupled between a power rail and the circuit to be protected. The protection is based on the high-current-capacity path through the bipolar transistor which is opened up either by collector-to-emitter punch-through in the bipolar transistor or by the bipolar transistor going into normal conduction upon being turned on by a switch coupled to the base of the bipolar transistor. In the preferred embodiment the switch is a MOS transistor that is designed to undergo source-to-drain breakdown at a fixed threshold voltage, whereupon it activates the bipolar transistor which in turn discharges the overvoltage. In this way the advantages of the high-current-capacity bipolar transistor are obtained without the concern that fabrication vagaries will prevent the bipolar transistor from providing needed protection, such as is the situation where the punch-through phenomenon alone is relied on.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4400711 (1983-08-01), Avery
patent: 4527213 (1985-07-01), Ariizumi
patent: 4875130 (1989-10-01), Huard
patent: 4987465 (1991-01-01), Longcor et al.
patent: 5276582 (1994-01-01), Merrill et al.

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