Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Koninklijke Phillips Electronics N.v.

David M Szmyd

Roy Arthur Colclaser

Armand Pruijmboom

Reinhard Brock

An ESD diode protects a circuit against electrostatic discharge (ESD). The ESD diode has four adjacent regions. The first and third regions are formed by doping a semiconductor substrate so that it has a P-type conductivity. The second and fourth regions are formed by doping the semiconductor substrate so that it has an N-type conductivity. The first region is for connection to a signal terminal of the circuit being protected when the fourth region is connected to a positive power line of the circuit. The fourth region is for connection to the signal terminal when the first region is connected to the ground line or a negative power line of the circuit.

ESD diode structure

A lateral bipolar transistor for an intergrated circuit is provided that maintains a high current gain and high frequency capability without sacrificing high Early voltage. More particularly, a lateral bipolar transistor is formed on an integrated circuit having both bipolar and CMOS devices, the lateral bipolar transistor being formed according to the BiCMOS method and without additional steps relative to formation of vertical bipolar devices if provided in the same area. Among other things, an integrated circuit is provided in which P well structures are provided in the collector regions of an LPNP that have been found to affect a significant increase in the product of the Early voltage and the current gain.

Lateral bipolar transistor and method of making same

A bi-directional ESD diode protects a circuit against electrostatic discharge (ESD). The bi-directional diode has a first device and a second device, each including a first region and a third region formed by doping a semiconductor substrate so that it has a P-type conductivity; and a second region and a fourth region formed by doping the semiconductor substrate so that it has an N-type conductivity. The first region of the first device and the fourth region of the second device are for connection to an anode terminal of the bi-directional diode. The fourth region of the first device and the first region of the second device are for connection a cathode terminal of the bi-directional diode. The anode terminal is for connection to a signal terminal of the circuit when the cathode terminal is connected to a positive power line of the circuit, and the cathode terminal is for connection to the signal terminal when the anode terminal is connected to a ground line or a negative power line of the circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

David M Szmyd