Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Wolfgang Pribyl

Werner Reczek

Josef Winnerl

Integrated circuit having anti latch-up circuit in complementary MOS circuit technology. Due to the incorporation of non-linear elements between the ground (V.sub.ss) and the p-conductive semiconductor substrate (P.sub.sub) and between the supply voltage (V.sub.DD) and the n-conductive semiconductor zone (N.sub.w), the risk of the occurrence of the latch-up effect triggered by the build-up of base charges at the parasitic vertical and lateral bipolar transistors is diminished. The space requirement for the non-linear elements to be additionally incorporated is low and the circuit properties of the MOS transistors are not influenced as a result thereof. The realization of the non-linear elements can ensue with Schottky contacts or with additional MOS transistors that are wired as diode elements. A realization in the form of buried diodes of polycrystalline silicon (PSi) is also possible, realized, for example, as barrier layer diodes.

Integrated circuit with anti latch-up circuit in complementary MOS

A synchronizing flip-flop circuit configuration for synchronizing data includes an input and an output of the synchronizing flip-flop circuit configuration. A first transfer gate, connected to the input of the synchronizing flip-flop circuit configuration, is controlled by a first clock signal. A second transfer gate connected between the first transfer gate and the output of the synchronizing flip-flop circuit configuration is controlled by a second clock signal being inverted with respect to the first clock signal. A first series-connected inverter pair is connected between the first transfer gate and the output of the synchronizing flip-flop circuit configuration. At least one second inverter series-connected inverter pair is connected in series with the first inverter configuration between the first transfer gate and the output of the synchronizing flip-flop circuit configuration, thereby preventing occurrence of meta-stable conditions between data to be synchronized.

Synchronizing flip-flop circuit configuration

A latch-up protection circuit for an integrated circuit using complementary MOS circuit technology has a substrate bias generator that applies a negative substrate bias to a semiconductor substrate having a p-conductive material into which a well-shaped semiconductor zone of n-conductive material is inserted. In order to avoid latch-up effects in the integrated circuit, an electronic protection circuit interrupts the capacitive charging currents of a capacitor in the substrate depending on the potential of the semiconductor substrate which is taken at a doped substrate bias terminal. The electronic protection circuit disconnects a capacitor bias generator from the capacitor when a voltage on the substrate bias terminal is greater than a difference between a reference potential and a threshold voltage of a first transistor in the electronic protection circuit. The electronic protection circuit connects the capacitive bias generator to the capacitor when a voltage on the substrate bias terminal is lower than the difference. No quiescent current flows through the electronic protection circuit during normal operation of the integrated circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Ottobrunn, Germany

Wolfgang Pribyl