Infineon Technologies Ag

Andreas Rupp

Ulrich Glaser

Yiqun Cao

Gabriel-Dumitru Cretu

Chi Dong Nguyen

Michael Ammer

A clamping circuit for protection against ESD events is described. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the circuit comprises the following: a first transistor having a control terminal and a load current path connected between a first contact and a second contact; an amplifier circuit having an amplifier input and an amplifier output connected to the control terminal of the transistor; and a trigger circuit, which is connected between the first contact and the second contact, and comprises a second transistor. The trigger circuit is configured to generate a voltage swing at the amplifier input as a reaction to a discharge current at the first contact by virtue of the fact that at least part of the discharge current drives a control terminal of the second transistor via an intrinsic capacitance of the second transistor.

Semiconductor switch with ESD protection circuit

A semiconductor device includes a body region of a second conductivity type, a body contact region of the second conductivity type formed in the body region and having a higher average doping concentration than the body region, a source region of a first conductivity type opposite the second conductivity type formed in the body region adjacent the body contact region, a drift zone of the first conductivity type spaced apart from the source region by a section of the body region which forms a channel region of the semiconductor device, and a gate electrode configured to control the channel region. The body contact region extends under a majority of the source region in a direction towards the channel region and has a doping concentration of at least 1e18 cmunder the majority of the source region. Additional semiconductor device embodiments and methods of manufacture are described.

Semiconductor device with latchup immunity

A circuit is described comprising electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuitry, keep-off circuitry and ESD detection circuitry. When the ESD detection circuitry detects an ESD event, the ESD detection circuitry is configured to both enable the ESD protection circuitry and disable the keep-off circuitry.

Noise-tolerant active clamp with ESD protection capability in power up mode

A combined electro static discharge clamp for cascaded voltage pins can include an electronic switch, a plurality of discharge paths, and a plurality of trigger circuits. In response to detecting a voltage event across any two voltage pins, the trigger circuitry can turn on the electronic switch causing current caused by the voltage event to flow through one or more of the discharge paths instead of through functional circuitry which could potentially be damaged by the current caused by the voltage event.

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Unterhaching, Germany

Andreas Rupp