Multi-rail electrostatic discharge protection device

Details Multi-rail electrostatic discharge protection device Multi-rail electrostatic discharge protection device

1996-05-13

1997-07-01

Gaffin, Jeffrey A.

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Safety and protection of systems and devices

Load shunting by fault responsive means

361 91, 361111, H02H 900

Patent

active

056444605

ABSTRACT:
Device for protecting against circuit-damaging voltage spikes at input nodes and output nodes of electrical circuits and between high- and low-potential power rails. The voltage spikes are of the type identified generally as electrostatic discharges. The device includes a plurality of semiconductor elements, which are preferably bipolar transistors, coupled to the power rails and an input node or an output node of the circuit such that all types of electrostatic discharges can be diverted using the single device of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the transistors have a common collector, their bases are open, and they are configured so that the emitter of one transistor is coupled to the high-potential power rail, the emitter of a second transistor is coupled to the low-potential power rail, and the emitter of a third transistor is coupled to the node to be protected. Various combinations of the breakdown characteristics of the several coupled transistors operate to divert all types of voltage spikes, including positive and negative spikes at the node, and positive and negative spikes between the power rails. The device of the present invention is smaller and faster than prior electrostatic discharge protection devices, with sufficient capacity to handle expected transient voltage levels.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5157571 (1992-10-01), Gotz
patent: 5301084 (1994-04-01), Miller

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