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. 30, 2005
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2001
Applicants:
Richard T. Ida, Chandler, AZ (US);
Hongzhong Xu, Gilbert, AZ (US);
Inventors:
Richard T. Ida, Chandler, AZ (US);
Hongzhong Xu, Gilbert, AZ (US);
Assignee:
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L023/62 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A low voltage thyristor is disclosed that can be used to provide protection during electrostatic discharge event. The thyristor is connected between voltage reference nodes having a common potential, such as ground nodes, that are isolated from one another during normal operating conditions. During an ESD event on one of the voltage reference nodes, the low voltage thyrister triggers, at a voltage of less than ten volts, to help discharge the ESD current through the otherwise isolated ground node.