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:
Jan. 16, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 19, 2004
Hongzhong Xu, Gilbert, AZ (US);
Beth A. Baumert, Scottsdale, AZ (US);
Richard T. Ida, Chandler, AZ (US);
Hongzhong Xu, Gilbert, AZ (US);
Beth A. Baumert, Scottsdale, AZ (US);
Richard T. Ida, Chandler, AZ (US);
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device having a first terminal and a second terminal. The ESD protection device comprises a vertical transistor having a collector coupled to the first terminal, a base, and an emitter coupled to the second terminal. A zener diode has a first terminal coupled to the first terminal of the ESD protection device and a second terminal coupled to the base of the vertical transistor. Subsurface current paths are provided to redistribute current from a surface of the vertical transistor in an ESD event. The method comprises generating an ionization current when a zener diode breaks down during an ESD event. The ionization current density from a surface zener diode region is reduced. The ionization current enables a transistor to dissipate the ESD event.