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:
May. 17, 2016
Filed:
Oct. 26, 2012
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Chun-Kai Wang, Taipei, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
Among other things, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device is provided. The ESD device comprises a dielectric isolation structure that is formed between an emitter and a collector of the ESD device. During an ESD event, current flows from the emitter, substantially under the dielectric isolation structure, to the collector, to protect associated circuitry. The dielectric isolation structure is formed to a depth that is less than a depth of at least one of the emitter or the collector, or doped regions thereof, thereby decreasing a length of a current path from the emitter to the collector, because the current is not obstructed by the dielectric isolation structure. Accordingly, the ESD device can carry higher current during the ESD event because the shorter current path has less resistance than a longer path that would otherwise be traveled if the dielectric isolation structure was not formed at the shallower depth.