Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Safety and protection of systems and devices – Load shunting by fault responsive means
Patent
1995-07-25
1996-12-03
Gaffin, Jeffrey A.
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Safety and protection of systems and devices
Load shunting by fault responsive means
361111, 361 18, 324523, 324769, H02H 900
Patent
active
055814328
ABSTRACT:
A clamp circuit (10) for protecting a MOSFET (12) from destructive voltages and currents includes a clamping element (30), a current switch (27), a bond pad (23), a probe pad (25), and a resistor (21). When no external signal is applied to the probe pad (25), a FET (18) in the clamping element (30) is conductive. When the drain voltage of the MOSFET (12) rises above a clamping voltage of the clamping element (30), a current flows through the clamping element (30) and switches on the MOSFET (12). To ensure a safe operating area of the MOSFET (12), a voltage is applied to the probe pad (25) to turn off the FET (18), a breakdown voltage of the MOSFET (12) measured from the bond pad (23) is compared with the clamp voltage, and circuit die with the breakdown voltage less than the clamp voltage are discarded.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5079608 (1992-01-01), Wodarczyk et al.
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patent: 5132866 (1992-07-01), Raciti et al.
patent: 5365099 (1994-11-01), Phipps et al.
patent: 5381105 (1995-01-01), Phipps
Hargedon John M.
Kanner Jeffrey A.
Wellnitz Keith M.
Dover Rennie William
Gaffin Jeffrey A.
Motorola Inc.
Sherry Michael J.
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