Title :
A new ESD protection structure for high-speed GaAs RF ICs
Author :
Sun, Maoyou ; Lu, Yicheng
Author_Institution :
Vitesse Semicond. Inc., Somerset, NJ, USA
fDate :
3/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
We demonstrate a new electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure for high-speed GaAs RF ICs. The structure is composed of small diodes and large transistors using an InGaP heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology. Its loading effect and its robustness are evaluated experimentally. The impedance of the new structure at OFF state, represented with an equivalent shunt capacitance and an equivalent shunt resistance, are 0.22 pF and 500 Ω at 10 GHz. The structure can withstand +2700-V and -2900-V human body model ESD pulses. It can clamp voltage more effectively than the conventional diode-based ESD structure. The new structure can be used to protect 10 Gb/s input/output pins of high-speed RF ICs against ESD.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; bipolar integrated circuits; electrostatic discharge; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; high-speed integrated circuits; indium compounds; microwave integrated circuits; radiofrequency integrated circuits; semiconductor diodes; 0.22 pF; 10 GHz; 500 ohm; ESD electrostatic discharge; GaAs-InGaP; HBT technology; diodes; equivalent shunt capacitance; equivalent shunt resistance; heterojunction bipolar transistor technology; high-speed RFIC; human body model; loading effect; protection structure; transistors; Capacitance; Diodes; Electrostatic discharge; Gallium arsenide; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Immune system; Impedance; Protection; Radio frequency; Robustness; Bipolar; GaAs; InGaP heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT); RF ICs; electrostatic discharge (ESD); high-speed; human body model (HBM);
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LED.2004.842641
