Macronix International Co., Ltd.

M31 Technology Corporation

Chun-Hsiang Lai

Tao-Cheng Lu

Shin Su

Meng-Huang Liu

Yen-Hung Yeh

Chia-Ling Lu

Tao Cheng Lu

Meng Huang Liu

Sing Su

Ching-Hsiang Chang

Cha-Ling Lu

Ming-Yen Tsai

Chih-Chieh Yao

A power management circuit includes an inverter circuit and a latch circuit. The inverter circuit is configured to receive a first control signal from an inverter input terminal and generate a second control signal at an inverter output terminal. The first control signal carries power status information of a first supply voltage. The latch circuit has a latch supply terminal, a first latch input terminal and a second latch input terminal. The latch supply terminal is coupled to a second supply voltage becoming ready before the first supply voltage. The first latch input terminal and the second latch input terminal are coupled to the inverter output terminal and the inverter input terminal respectively. The latch circuit is configured to generate a third control signal according to respective signal levels of the first control signal and the second control signal, and accordingly perform power control of an integrated circuit.

Power management circuit and method for integrated circuit having multiple power domains

A level shifter includes a latch circuit, an input stage, a driver stage and a control circuit. The latch circuit is configured to generate an output signal according to a signal level at a first drive node and a signal level at a second drive node. The input stage is configured to receive an input signal to adjust a signal level at a connection node. The driver stage is configured to drive the first drive node by coupling the connection node to the first drive node according to a set of control signals. The control circuit is coupled to the input stage and the driver stage. The control circuit is configured to control the driver stage to couple the connection node to the first drive node by adjusting a signal level of each control signal in the set of control signals during a level transition of the input signal.

Voltage tolerant level shifter

An I/O pad ESD protection circuit is composed of a SCR circuit, a first diode, a second diode, and an anti-latch-up circuit. The SCR circuit has a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal, respectively coupled to the I/O pad and the ground voltage, so as to discharge the electrostatic charges. The anti-latch-up circuit has two terminals, which are respectively coupled to the voltage source and the ground voltage, and another connection terminal, used to send an anti-latch-up signal to the SCR for changing the activating rate. The latch-up phenomenon is avoided.

Electostatic discharge protection circuit coupled on I/O pad

An ESD protection device for a pad includes an adjusting circuit, a snapback element and a control circuit. The adjusting circuit includes a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) coupled to the pad. The SCR includes a first diode. The snapback element is coupled to a first N pole of the first diode when a second diode is not used, and is coupled to a second N pole of the second diode when the second diode is used. The control circuit is coupled to the first N pole. In a normal operation mode, the control circuit provides a first voltage to the first N pole so that the first N pole collects a plurality of charges and the SCR is turned off. In an ESD mode, the control circuit does not provide the first voltage to the first N pole so that the first N pole does not collect the charges.

Electrostatic discharge protection device for pad and method and structure thereof

An ESD protection circuit connected between an input pad and an internal circuit is disclosed. The ESD protection circuit includes a main ESD protection device, a first resistor and a secondary device. The main ESD protection device is connected to the input pad for clamping a voltage of the input pad. The first resistor has a first end connected to the input pad and a second end connected to the internal circuit. The secondary device is connected to the second end of the first resistor and the main ESD protection device for clamping a voltage of the internal circuit. During an ESD event, the secondary device is turned on first to receive an ESD current and accordingly provides a trigger current to turn on the main ESD protection device.

ESD protection circuit

An ESD protection circuit is adapted for an integrated circuit with a first power source and a second power source. The ESD protection circuit comprises a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), and in some embodiments a second silicon controlled rectifier, and a parasitic diode. The silicon rectifiers as well as the parasitic diode can all be formed using a single well formed in a substrate. Further, the ESD protection circuit can be used in systems that have multiple power sources regardless of the difference in voltage between the power sources.

Methods and apparatus for electrostatic discharge protection in a semiconductor circuit

An ESD protection circuit includes a substrate, diode device, first snapback device, ring structure, second snapback device and a control circuit. The diode device is formed in the substrate. The first snapback device is formed in the substrate and includes a first heavy ion-doped region, a first gate and a second heavy ion-doped region. The first heavy ion-doped region is coupled to the diode device. The first gate is coupled to the second heavy ion-doped region. The ring structure is formed in the substrate and includes a third heavy ion-doped region located. The second gate is formed on the substrate between the second heavy ion-doped region and the third heavy ion-doped region to generate a second snapback device. The control circuit is connected to the third heavy ion-doped region for preventing the turn-on of a parasitic SCR formed in the substrate in a normal operation.

In an ESD protection structure and method utilizing substrate triggering for a high-voltage tolerant pad on a substrate, an ESD protection device has a source connected to the pad and a gate and a drain both connected to a ground, and a substrate-triggering control circuit is used to keep the substrate at a low voltage during a normal operation, and pumping the substrate to a high voltage during an ESD event for the ESD protection device to be triggered much easier. The substrate-triggering control circuit is implemented with an active device, thereby reducing the chip size for the circuit and the loading effect on the pad.

ESD protection structure and method utilizing substrate triggering for a high-voltage tolerant pad

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit coupled to an input pad comprises a diode formed in a substrate and coupled to the input pad; a P deep well formed in the substrate; an N well formed in the P deep well; a first P+ doped region in the N well; and an NMOS transistor formed on the substrate, comprising a gate, a source and a drain, wherein the drain is formed in the N well and coupled to a Vcc, and the source is formed in the P deep well; and a second P+ doped region formed in the P deep well. The ESD protection circuit uses a smaller area than the conventional ESD protection circuit.

Electrostatic protection circuit

A device for connection between supply buses in mixed power integrated circuits includes a diode in series with a transistor with an active p-ring in a semiconductor substrate. The active p-ring surrounds the source and drain of the transistor with a conductive region having the same conductivity type as the semiconductor substrate. A control circuit coupled to the p-ring applies a bias voltage in response to an ESD event affecting the first and second conductors. The bias voltage tends to inject carriers into the semiconductor substrate which enables discharge of the short voltage pulse via a parasitic SCR in the substrate from the anode of the diode to the source of the transistor.

Electrostatic discharge conduction device and mixed power integrated circuits using same

An ESD protection circuit is adapted for an integrated circuit with a first power source and a second power source. The ESD protection circuit comprises a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), a second silicon controlled rectifier, and a parasitic diode. The gate of the first silicon controlled rectifier is coupled to a first power source, and the gate of the second silicon controlled rectifier is also coupled to the first power source line.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit and semiconductor circuit therewith

An electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit for a dual polarity I/O pad is provided. The protection circuit includes a substrate of first type; a deep well region of second type disposed in the first type substrate; a well region of first type disposed in the second type deep well region; a first transistor disposed over the well region of first type, wherein the first transistor has a first source, a first gate and a first drain; a second transistor disposed over the substrate of first type, wherein the second transistor has a second source, a second gate and a second drain, and the second source is connected with the first drain, and both of them are disposed in a portion of the well region of first type, the deep well region of second type and the substrate of first type; a first doped region is disposed in the first type well region and laterally adjacent to the first source; a second doped region is disposed in the substrate of first type and laterally adjacent to the second drain.

Electro-static discharge protection circuit for dual-polarity input/output pad

An ESD protection apparatus for a high-voltage input pad comprises a modulator connected between the input pad and a snapback device with first and second guard rings surrounding the modulator, third guard ring surrounding the snapback device, and first and second guard ring control circuits to control the guard rings such that the protection apparatus has higher triggering and holding voltages under normal operation and lower triggering and holding voltages under ESD event.

ESD protection apparatus and method for a high-voltage input pad

The present invention relates an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device that is applied to a mixed voltage circuit assembly. The device comprises a RC controlled circuit subassembly and a field transistor, which the RC controlled circuit is coupled with the mixed voltage circuit assembly to substantially control the ESD protection device to be ON or OFF. The field transistor is coupled between a first power supply and a second power supply of said mixed voltage circuit assembly, which is off on the condition of a normal operating condition and is conducting as an ESD event occurred.

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Taichung, Taiwan

Chun-Hsiang Lai