The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 1992
Filed:
Sep. 27, 1991
Jerome F Lapham, Groton, MA (US);
Analog Devices, Incorporated, Norwood, MA (US);
Abstract
An integrated-circuit (IC) chip having means to prevent or mitigate damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD) employing a thick dielectric coating of insulative oxide between the surface of the chip substrate and the metallization film used to make contact with regions of the substrate. At least a portion of this layer is formed at temperatures below 700.degree. C. The coating is sufficiently thick everywhere that its breakdown voltage is greater than the breakdown voltage of any junction in the substrate. This assures that the breakdown caused by ESD will always occur in the junction, which is self healing, rather than in the dielectric coating, where the damage could be permanent.