Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Yeh-Ning Jou

Hwa-Chyi Chiou

Shao-Chang Huang

Chih-Hsuan Lin

Chieh-Yao Chuang

Hsien-Feng Liao

Geeng-Lih Lin

Kai-Chieh Hsu

Ching-Ho Li

Jian-Hsing Lee

Wen-Hsin Lin

Chun-Chih Chen

Yeh-Jen Huang

Chang-Min Lin

Chia-Wei Hung

Jia-Rong Yeh

Shang-Hui Tu

Jui-Chun Chang

Li-Fan Chen

Gong-Kai Lin

Chien-Wei Wang

Ting-Yu Chang

Chen-Wei Wu

Shu-Ling Chang

Ming-Dou Ker

Chih-Cherng Liao

Ching-Yi Hsu

Chien-Hsien Song

Hsiao-Ying Yang

Yu-Chen Wu

Jung-Tsun Chuang

Wen-Yi Chen

Ting-You Lin

Wei-Ting Chen

Wei-Sung Chen

Wei-Shung Chen

Chi-Hung Lo

Ching-Wen Chen

Fu-Chun Tseng

Nai-Lun Cheng

Chun-Chien Tsai

Pang-Chuan Chen

Yi-Han Wu

Chien-Chi Hsu

A semiconductor structure is provided. At least one first well region is disposed in a semiconductor substrate and has a first conductivity type. At least one gate of a transistor is disposed over the first well region and extends in a first direction. At least one second well region and at least one third well region are disposed on opposite sides of the first well region and extend in the first direction. The second and third well regions have a second conductivity type. A first shielding structure is disposed on at least one end of the gate and partially overlaps the first well region in a vertical projection direction. The first shielding structure is separated from the end of the gate. A bulk ring is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and surrounds the gate, the second well region, the third well region, and the first shielding structure.

Semiconductor structure with a gate and a shielding structure

A trigger circuit coupled between an input-output pad and a core circuit and including an adjustment circuit and a protection circuit is provided. The adjustment circuit adjusts the voltage of the input-output pad to generate an output voltage. The protection circuit is coupled between the adjustment circuit and the core circuit and receives a system enable signal. In response to the system enable signal being disabled or an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event occurring on the input-output pad, the protection circuit disables the core circuit according to the output voltage. In response to the system enable signal being enabled, the protection circuit stops disabling the core circuit.

Trigger circuit and operating circuit

A semiconductor structure including a substrate, a first well, a first doped region, a second doped region, a third doped region, a second well, a fourth doped region, and a fifth doped region is provided. The substrate has a first conductivity type. The first well is disposed in the substrate and has a second conductivity type. The first doped region is disposed in the first well and has the second conductivity type. The second doped region is disposed in the first well and has the first conductivity type. The third doped region is disposed in the first well and has the first conductivity type. The second well is disposed in the first well. The fourth doped region is disposed in the second well and has the first conductivity type. The fifth doped region is disposed in the second well and has the second conductivity type.

Semiconductor structure and electrostatic discharge protection device

An ESD protection circuit is coupled to a first pad and includes an ESD detection circuit, a P-type transistor, an N-type transistor, and a discharge circuit. The ESD detection circuit determines whether an ESD event occurs on the first pad to generate a detection signal at a first node. The P-type transistor comprises a source coupled to the first pad, a drain coupled to a second node, and a gate coupled to the first node. The N-type transistor comprises a drain coupled to the second node, a source coupled to a ground, and a gate coupled to a second pad. The discharge circuit is coupled between the first pad and the ground and controlled by a driving signal at the second node. When the ESD protection circuit is in an operation mode, the first pad receives a first voltage, and a second pad receives a second voltage.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit

An ESD protection circuit includes a buffer circuit, a driving circuit, and a power-clamping circuit. The buffer circuit includes first and second transistors having a first conductivity type coupled in a cascade configuration between a first node and a first power supply node. A bonding pad is coupled to the first node. The drive circuit determines a state of at least one of the first and second transistors according to a control voltage. The drive circuit includes a third transistor having a second conductivity type, which is coupled between a second power supply node and a gate of the first transistor and is controlled by the control signal. The power-clamping circuit is coupled to the bonding pad and a gate of the third transistor at a second node. The control voltage is generated at the second node and determined by a voltage at the bonding pad.

An ESD protection device includes a substrate, an epitaxial layer, first to third well regions, and first to sixth doped regions. The first to third well regions are disposed in the epitaxial layer. The third well region is disposed between the first and second well regions. The first and second doped regions are disposed on the first well region and coupled to a pad. The third and fourth doped regions are disposed on the second well region and coupled to a ground terminal. The fifth doped region is disposed on the third well region, and the sixth doped region is disposed in the fifth doped region. The third, fifth, and sixth doped regions have the same conductive type. In response to an electrostatic discharge event occurring on the pad, a discharge path is formed between the pad and the ground terminal.

Electrostatic discharge protection device

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure including a P-type substrate, a P-type structure, an N-type buried layer, an element active region, a P-type guard ring, and an N-type structure is provided. The P-type structure is formed in the P-type substrate and serves as an electrical contact of the P-type substrate. The N-type buried layer is formed in the P-type substrate. The element active region is formed on the N-type buried layer. The P-type guard ring is formed on the N-type buried layer and surrounds the element active region. The N-type structure is formed on the N-type buried layer and disposed between the P-type guard ring and the P-type structure.

Electrostatic discharge protection structure

An electrostatic discharge protection circuit is provided. The electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes first, second, and third transistors and a discharge circuit. The first transistor has a first gate, a first drain coupled to the bonding pad, and a first source coupled to a first node. The second transistor has a second gate coupled to a power terminal, a second drain coupled to the first gate, and a second source coupled to a ground. The third transistor has a third gate coupled to the power terminal, a third drain coupled to the first node, and a third source coupled to the ground. The discharge circuit is controlled by a driving voltage at the first node. In response to an electrostatic discharge event occurring on the bonding pad, the discharge circuit provides a discharge path between the bonding pad and the ground according to the driving voltage.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit and electronic circuit

A voltage tracking circuit is provided. The voltage tracking circuit includes first and second P-type transistors and a control circuit. The drain of the first P-type transistor is coupled to a first voltage terminal. The gate and the drain of the second P-type transistor are respectively coupled to the first voltage terminal and a second voltage terminal. The control circuit is coupled to the first and second voltage terminals and generates a control voltage according to the first voltage and the second voltage. The sources of the first and second P-type transistors are coupled to an output terminal of the voltage tracking circuit, and the output voltage is generated at the output terminal. In response to the second voltage being higher than the first voltage, the control circuit generates the control signal to turn off the first P-type transistor.

Voltage tracking circuits with low power consumption and electronic circuits using the same

A power detection circuit is provided. The protection circuit is coupled to a pad and includes a trigger circuit and a discharge circuit. The trigger circuit includes a first transistor of a first conductivity type and a second transistor, also of the first conductivity type, which are coupled in series between the pad and a ground terminal. The trigger circuit detects whether a transient even occurs on the pad. The discharge circuit is coupled between the bonding pad and the ground terminal and controlled by the trigger circuit. In response to the transient event occurring on the bonding pad, the trigger circuit generates a trigger voltage to trigger the discharge circuit to provide a discharge path between the pad and the ground terminal.

Protection circuit

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit including a detection circuit, a voltage-divider element, and a discharge element is provided. The detection circuit is coupled between a first power line and a second power line. In response to an ESD event, the detection circuit enables a turn-on signal. The voltage-divider element is coupled between the first power line and a third power line and receives the turn-on signal. The discharge element is coupled between the second and third power lines. In response to the turn-on signal being enabled, the first discharge element discharges an ESD current.

The protection circuit includes a detection circuit and a discharge circuit. The detection circuit is coupled to first and second power bonding pads and detects whether an ESD event or an EOS event occurs at the first power bonding pad. The detection circuit controls a detection voltage on a detection node according to a detection result. The first and second power bonding pads belong to different power domains. The discharge circuit is coupled to the detection node and the first power pad. In response to the ESD event occurring at the first power bonding pad, the discharge circuit provides a discharge path between the first power bonding pad and a ground terminal according to the detection voltage. In response to the EOS event occurring at the first power bonding pad, the detection circuit activates a second discharge path between the first power bonding pad and the ground terminal.

Protection circuits

An electrostatic discharge protection device includes a first well region, a second well region, a first doped region, and a first heavily doped region. The first well region and the second well region are disposed in a semiconductor substrate. The first doped region is disposed in the first well region and the second well region. The first heavily doped region is disposed in the first doped region in the first well region. The first well region and the first doped region have a first conductivity type, and the second well region and the first heavily doped region have a second conductivity type that is the opposite of the first conductivity type.

Electrostatic discharge protection devices

A protection circuit including a detection circuit, a current discharge element, a first transistor, and a second transistor is provided. The detection circuit is coupled between a first pad and a second pad to detect ESD events. In response to an ESD event, the detection circuit sets the detection signal to a predetermined level. The current discharge element is coupled between the first and second pads. In response to the detection signal being at the predetermined level, the current discharge element is turned on so that the ESD current passes through the current discharge element. The first transistor is coupled between a core circuit and the second pad. The second transistor is coupled between the first transistor and the second pad. In response to the detection signal being at the predetermined level, the second transistor is turned on to turn off the first transistor.

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) blocking circuit including an internal circuit, a first Schottky diode, and an ESD releasing element is provided. The first Schottky diode is coupled between a specific node and the internal circuit. The ESD releasing element is coupled between the specific node and the first power terminal. In response to an ESD event occurring at the specific node, the ESD releasing element is turned on to release the ESD current from the specific node to the first power terminal.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Yeh-Ning Jou