Qualcomm Incorporated

Evan Siansuri

Eugene Robert Worley

Reza Jalilizeinali

Sreeker Dundigal

Michael J Brunolli

Sreeker R Dundigal

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

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

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

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.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Evan Siansuri