Hynix Semiconductor Inc.

Jung Eon Moon

Nak Heon Choi

Kook Whee Kwak

Si Woo Lee

Hee Jeong Son

Joon Won Lee

Dae Gwan Kang

Seong Hoon Jeong

Suk Yun

Yun Suk

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit protects a gate oxide of elements in an internal circuit against ESD. During an ESD test, if the sum of driving voltages of ESD protectors connected between a power pad and a ground pad is higher than the gate oxide breakdown voltage of elements in the internal circuit, the structure of the ESD protector is changed or another ESD protector is additionally provided so as to protect the gate oxide of the elements in the internal circuit against ESD.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit and electrostatic discharge protection method of a semiconductor memory device

An electrostatic discharge circuit includes a trigger section configured to detect voltage drops occurring by an electrostatic current transmitted to first and second voltage lines, and to provide pull-up and pull-down detection voltages, an auxiliary discharge section configured to operate by the pull-up and pull-down detection voltages, and to discharge the electrostatic current introduced through an input/output pad to the first and second voltage lines, a main discharge section configured to operate by the pull-down detection voltage, to electrically connecting the first and second voltage lines, and to discharge the electrostatic current, and a CDM discharge section configured to operate by the pull-down detection voltage, and to discharge the electrostatic current supplied from the input/output pad to an internal circuit.

Electrostatic discharge circuit

An electrostatic discharge protection device includes a power supply line and a ground line. A voltage detection unit detects first and second detection voltages by forming an electrical connection between the power supply line and the ground line in response to alternating current of electrostatic current. A first transfer unit transfers the electrostatic current into the power supply line by forming an electrical connection between the input/output pad and the power supply line in response to the first detection voltage. A second transfer unit transfers the electrostatic current into the ground line by forming an electrical connection between the input/output pad and the ground line in response to the second detection voltage. A discharge unit discharges the electrostatic current flowing into the power supply line or the ground line by forming an electrical connection between the power supply line and the ground line in response to the second detection voltage.

Electrostatic discharge protection device having low junction capacitance and operational voltage

An electrostatic discharge device includes a first protection element including a MOS transistor type first diode, which provides a first capacitor including a first insulation layer, and provides a first path between an input/output pad and a power supply voltage line using the first diode, for discharging static electricity, a second protection element providing a second path between the input/output pad and a ground voltage line for discharging the static electricity, a trigger circuit including a resistor that is connected in series to the first capacitor, and a power clamp element providing a third path for discharging the static electricity between the power supply voltage line and the ground voltage line by a voltage applied to the resistor.

Electrostatic discharge device

A circuit for protecting a semiconductor device from electrostatic discharge by protecting an internal circuit from electrostatic current flowing into an input/output pad includes a first discharge unit that discharges the electrostatic current to a first power supply line or a second power supply line. A second discharge unit protects the internal circuit from electrostaticity flowing from the input/output pad or the second power supply line. A power clamp unit discharges the electrostatic current, which is discharged to the first power supply line or the second power supply line by the first discharge unit, to the opposite power supply line. A trigger unit drives the first discharge unit and the power clamp unit with first and second detection voltages generated in response to a voltage drop of the discharged electrostatic current.

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Kyoungki-do, South Korea

Jung Eon Moon