Faraday Technology Corporation

Chien-Hui Chuang

Kei-Kang Hung

Hung-Yi Chang

Chih-Hung Wu

Meng-Jer Wey

Yi-Hua Chang

Jia-Jio Huang

Ren-Jeng Chiang

Ih-Hwa Chang

A poly fuse trimming circuit. The poly fuse trimming circuit comprises a poly fuse and a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) device. The poly fuse is coupled between a first fixed potential and an output node. The SCR device is controlled by a trimming signal and has an anode coupled to the output node and a cathode coupled to a second fixed potential.

Poly fuse trimming circuit

A driver impedance control apparatus and system for determining the impedance of at least one driver are provided. The driver impedance control apparatus includes a first reference impedance, a second reference impedance, a dummy pull-up array, a dummy pull-down array, a pull-up array control unit and a pull-down array control unit. The pull-up array control unit controls the pull-up impedance of the driver by detecting a voltage from a first voltage divide point between the first reference impedance and the dummy pull-up array. The pull-down array control unit controls the pull-down impedance of the driver by detecting a voltage from a second voltage divide point between the second reference impedance and the dummy pull-down array.

Driver impedance control apparatus and system

A pre-buffer level shifter and an I/O buffer apparatus are provided. The pre-buffer level shifter includes a switchable current source, a current mirror, a buffer unit, a first clamping circuit and a second clamping circuit. Because of a clamping circuit inside a thin oxide MOS transistor device of the pre-buffer level shifter, the present invention can control the voltage swing of the signal for driving an output buffer within a suitable voltage range. Thus, the pre-buffer level shifter can correctly drive the output buffer made of thin oxide MOS transistor devices, increase the operating speed and ensure the reliability thereof.

Pre-buffer level shifter and input/output buffer apparatus

A power supply clamp circuit for preventing damage to an integrated circuit due to electrostatic discharge. The power supply clamp circuit includes a voltage generator electrically connected to a first node for generating a voltage; a first PMOS transistor having a source electrically connected to the first voltage source, a gate electrically connected to the first node, and a drain electrically connected to a second node; a first NMOS transistor having a drain electrically connected to the second node, a gate electrically connected to the first node, and a source connected to ground; a second NMOS transistor having a drain electrically connected to the first voltage source, a gate electrically connected to the second node, and a source connected to ground; and a second PMOS transistor having a source electrically connected to the second node, a gate and a drain commonly electrically connected to the first node.

Power supply clamp circuit

A power-rail ESD (electrostatic discharge) protection circuit with a dual trigger design is proposed, which is coupled between a first power line and a second power line connected to an IC device for protecting the IC device against ESD on the first power line and the second power line. The proposed power-rail ESD protection circuit comprises a control circuit and at least one MOS device. The control circuit is coupled between the first power line and the second power line, and which is capable of, in the event of ESD in the first power line and the second power line, being triggered by the ESD to output a substrate-triggering voltage and a gate-driving voltage to the MOS device, causing the MOS device to bypass the ESD current from the first power line and the second power line. The circuit configuration of the proposed power-rail ESD protection circuit can help reduce the junction breakdown voltage in a MOS device and increase in ESD robustness.

Power-rail electrostatic discharge protection circuit with a dual trigger design

A low capacitance electrostatic discharge circuit (ESD) for a built-in CMOS chip capable of protecting an internal circuit within the chip. A first voltage source and a second voltage source are provided to the electrostatic protection circuit. The ESD circuit is coupled to a bonding pad and the internal circuit. The ESD protection circuit includes a first diode series, a second diode series, a first control circuit, a third diode series, a first silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), a second control circuit, a fourth diode series and a second SCR. The ESD circuit utilizes the control circuits to initiate substrate triggering so that the triggered voltage of the SCR is lowered and holding voltage of the SCR during conduction in increased. Consequently, the entire chip is protected and input capacitance of the circuit is reduced.

CMOS whole chip low capacitance ESD protection circuit

An ESD protection circuit, arranged between a first and second potential terminals, has a RC branch, a voltage adjuster circuit, and an ESD discharge transistor. The RC branch includes a resistor and a capacitor series connected from the first to the second potential terminal. The voltage adjuster circuit has a plurality of inputs connected to the RC branch, and the first and second potential terminals, and an output connected to a gate of the ESD discharge transistor to adjust the gate voltage thereof for obtaining a uniform turn on and optimal ESD robustness. The voltage adjuster circuit mainly includes a plurality of transistors that enable to effectively adjust the gate voltage with respect to high level of ESD stress.

Effective gate-driven or gate-coupled ESD protection circuit

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for protecting input and output buffers. The ESD protection circuit is driven by a first voltage source and a second voltage source and coupled to a bonding pad. The ESD protection circuit has a first resistor, a first PMOS transistor, a first NMOS transistor, a first diode series, a second PMOS transistor, a second resistor, a third PMOS transistor, a second NMOS transistor, a second diode series and a third NMOS transistor. The electrical devices combine to form different types of ESD protection circuits, each capable of protecting the input buffer or output buffer against the damaging effects of an electrostatic discharge.

Growing community of inventors

Taipei Hsien, Taiwan

Chien-Hui Chuang