Polar Semiconductor, Inc.

Polarfab, LLC

David Litfin

Kurt Kimber

Steven L Kosier

Joseph Burkhardt

A circuit for protecting a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device is configured to hold down or pull down a voltage at a gate of the protected MOS device during an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event. The circuit includes at least one active device or capacitance-providing element connected to the gate of the protected MOS device, configured to pull down or hold down the voltage at the gate of the protected MOS device when the ESD event occurs.

Anti-snapback circuitry for metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor

An antifuse device is constructed from a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). The BJT includes a collector, a base, and an emitter. In one embodiment the BJT is formed inherently within a field effect transistor (FET), including a first doped region, a second doped region, a gate, and a body region. The collector of the BJT is realized by the first doped region of the FET, the emitter of the BJT is realized by the second doped region of the FET, and the base of the BJT is realized by the body region. A high resistance path exists between the collector and the base. A first input voltage is connected to the collector and a second input voltage is connected to the base. A switch connects the emitter to a fixed potential when the switch is closed. The antifuse device is programmed by closing the switch and allowing the first input voltage and the second input voltage to create a large current from the collector to the emitter, through the base, such that the high resistance path between the collector and the base is converted to a permanent low resistance path.

Bipolar junction transistor antifuse

A system and method for dynamically protecting a vulnerable device from an ESD event includes an ESD event sensor and a breakdown voltage adjustment circuit. The ESD event sensor detects an ESD event and provides a signal to the breakdown voltage adjustment circuit indicating that an ESD event has occurred. The breakdown voltage adjustment circuit receives the signal from the ESD event sensor and adjusts the breakdown voltage of the vulnerable device during the ESD event.

System and method for dynamic ESD Protection

The present invention provides an over-voltage protection circuit using a Zener diode and transistor. By disposing at least one junction region of the Zener diode outside of the base region of the transistor, a tight (i.e., with small variation) and suitably high reverse breakdown voltage is achieved.

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Houlton, WI, United States of America

David Litfin