Other

Qualcomm Incorporated

Conexant Systems, Inc.

Rockwell International Corporation

Hughes Aircraft Company

Newport Fab, LLC

Eugene Robert Worley

Reza Jalilizeinali

Sreeker Dundigal

Ankit Srivastava

Evan Siansuri

Mark R Tennyson

Richard Arthur Mann

Prasad Srinivasa Siva Gudem

Shiqun Gu

Li-chung Chang

Michael J Brunolli

Chiew-Guan Tan

Brian Matthew Henderson

Xiaohong Quan

Song Shi

Dongling Pan

Addison B Jones

Vivek Mohan

Himanshu Khatri

Guoqing Miao

Ratibor Radojcic

Matthew David Sienko

Ahmed Abdel Monem Youssef

Robert N Sato

Urmi Ray

Rajiv Gupta

Xiaoming Li

Mishel Matloubian

Devavrata Vasant Godbole

ByungWook Min

Wen-Yi Chen

Krishna Chaitanya Chillara

Mingliang Wang

Der-Woei Wu

Howard K Lane

Raymond A Kjar

Taeghyun Kang

Alex S Bakulin

Charles Ye Ying Jie Chu

Winston W Walker

Chilan T Nguyen

Eugene R Worley, Jr

In certain aspects of the disclosure, a protection circuit includes a first input/output (I/O) pin, a second I/O pad, a shunt clamp coupled to the first I/O pad, and a resistor coupled between the shunt clamp and the second I/O pad. The resistor has a first dynamic resistance at a voltage of 100 millivolts across the resistor, the resistor has a second dynamic resistance at a voltage of three volts across the resistor, and the second dynamic resistance is at least five times greater than the first dynamic resistance.

Integrated circuit protection

A method of protecting a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) differential input/output (I/O) circuit includes detecting an electrostatic discharge event. The method also includes selectively disengaging a power supply terminal from a pair of I/O transistors of the SERDES differential I/O circuit in response to the detected electrostatic discharge event. The method further includes selectively disengaging a ground terminal from the pair of I/O transistors of the SERDES differential I/O circuit in response to the detected electrostatic discharge event.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) isolated input/output (I/O) circuits

An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes an input device. The apparatus also includes a positive supply voltage pad. The apparatus further includes an input signal pad. The apparatus also includes a ground pad. The apparatus further includes charged-device model protection circuitry that protects the input device from electrostatic discharge. The charged-device model protection circuitry includes at least one of de-Q circuitry and a cascode device.

Radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) charged-device model (CDM) protection

An intergrated circuit (IC) package includes a die, a package substrate coupled to the die, and a first electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection component coupled to the package substrate, where the first electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection component is configured to provide package level electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. In some implementations, the first electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection component is embedded in the package substrate. In some implementations, the die includes an internal electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection component configured to provide die level electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. In some implementations, the internal electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection component and the first electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection component are configured to provide cumulative electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for the die.

Integrated circuit (IC) package comprising electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection

A CMOS amplifier including electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuits is disclosed. In one embodiment, the CMOS amplifier may include a PMOS transistor, a NMOS transistor, primary protection diodes, and one or more auxiliary protection diodes to limit a voltage difference between terminals of the CMOS amplifier. In some embodiments, the auxiliary protection diodes may limit the voltage difference between an input terminal of the CMOS amplifier and a supply voltage, the input terminal of the CMOS amplifier and ground, and the input terminal and the output terminal of the CMOS amplifier.

Electrostatic discharge protection for CMOS amplifier

A system interconnect includes a first resistor-capacitor (RC) clamp having a first RC time constant. The system interconnect also includes second RC clamps having a second RC time constant. The first and second RC clamps are arranged along the system interconnect. In addition, the first RC time constant is different from the second RC time constant.

Mixed mode RC clamps

An active diode with fast turn-on time, low capacitance, and low turn-on resistance may be manufactured without a gate and without a shallow trench isolation region between doped regions of the diode. A short conduction path in the active diode allows a fast turn-on time, and a lack of gate oxide reduces susceptibility of the active diode to extreme voltages. The active diode may be implemented in integrated circuits to prevent and reduce damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. Manufacturing the active diode is accomplished by depositing a salicide block between doped regions of the diode before salicidation. After the salicide layers are formed on the doped regions, the salicide block is removed.

Active diode having no gate and no shallow trench isolation

A device includes a snapback clamp circuit configured to clamp a supply voltage in response to the supply voltage exceeding a trigger voltage level. In at least one embodiment, the snapback clamp circuit includes a clamp transistor and a programmable resistance portion that is responsive to a control signal to calibrate the trigger voltage level. Alternatively or in addition, the snapback clamp circuit may include a programmable bias device configured to calibrate the trigger voltage level by biasing a gate terminal of the clamp transistor. In another particular embodiment, a method of calibrating a snapback clamp circuit is disclosed. In another particular embodiment, a method of operating an integrated circuit is disclosed.

Devices and methods for calibrating and operating a snapback clamp circuit

In a particular embodiment, a circuit includes a power supply, a ground, and a clamping transistor circuit coupled to the power supply and to the ground. The circuit further includes a disable clamp circuit. The disable clamp circuit is coupled to the power supply and is responsive to a second power supply input to selectively disable the clamping transistor circuit by modifying a charging current applied to a capacitor of the clamping transistor circuit. In a particular embodiment, modifying the charging current includes enabling a second charging path. Enabling the second charging path enables charging the capacitor at a higher charging rate than a charging rate associated with charging the capacitor via a first charging path.

Electrostatic discharge clamp with disable

In a particular embodiment, an apparatus includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamping transistor coupled to a ground terminal of a device. The apparatus further includes a switch coupled between a body terminal of the ESD clamping transistor and the around terminal.

ESD clamping transistor with switchable clamping modes of operation

Electrostatic discharge protection for Class D power amplifiers is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes an amplifier having an output transistor coupled to an interface pad, a snapback supply clamp coupled across first and second supplies of the amplifier and configured to provide a clamp voltage across the first and second supplies during ESD event; and a trigger circuit coupled to the output transistor, the trigger circuit configured to detect the clamp voltage and to enable the output transistor to provide a discharge path from the interface pad to the second supply when the clamp voltage is detected.

Electrostatic discharge protection for class D power amplifiers

Diodes, including gated diodes and shallow trench isolation (STI) diodes, manufacturing methods, and related circuits are provided without at least one halo or pocket implant thereby reducing capacitance of the diode. In this manner, the diode may be used in circuits and other devices having performance sensitive to load capacitance while still obtaining the performance characteristics of the diode. Such characteristics for a gated diode include fast turn-on times and high conductance, making the gated diodes well-suited for electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuits as one example. Diodes include a semiconductor substrate having a well region and insulating layer thereupon. A gate electrode is formed over the insulating layer. Anode and cathode regions are provided in the well region. A P-N junction is formed. At least one pocket implant is blocked in the diode to reduce capacitance.

Diode having a pocket implant blocked and circuits and methods employing same

Techniques for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for amplifiers and other circuitry employing charge pumps. In an exemplary embodiment, a Vneg switch coupling a second flying capacitor node to a negative output voltage node is closed in response to an ESD event being detected between a supply voltage node and the negative output voltage node. A ground switch coupling a ground node to the second flying capacitor node is closed in response to an ESD event being detected between the ground node and the negative output voltage node. The Vneg switch is further closed in response to the ESD event being detected between the ground node and the negative output voltage node. Further techniques are disclosed for providing on-chip snapback clamps at the output of a power amplifier coupled to the charge pump to protect against ESD events as defined by the standard IEC 61000-4-2.

Charge pump electrostatic discharge protection

A circuit for recording a magnitude of an ESD event during semiconductor assembly includes a voltage divider connected between an input and a ground. The circuit also includes a measurement block having a recorder device. Each measurement block receives current from a segment of the voltage divider. The magnitude of the ESD event is determined based upon a read-out of the measurement devices after the ESD event. The recorder device may be a capacitor that would be damaged during the ESD event. During the ESD event the capacitor may be damaged. Reading out the recorder device determines if the magnitude of the ESD event exceeded a threshold magnitude that damages the capacitor.

Circuit for measuring magnitude of electrostatic discharge (ESD) events for semiconductor chip bonding

A semiconductor die includes resistor-capacitor (RC) clamping circuitry for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection of the semiconductor die. The RC clamping circuitry includes building blocks distributed in the pad ring and in the core area of the semiconductor die. The building blocks include at least one capacitor block in the core area. The RC clamping circuitry also includes chip level conductive layer connections between each of the distributed building blocks.

Distributed building blocks of R-C clamping circuitry in semiconductor die core area

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Irvine, CA, United States of America

Eugene Robert Worley