An Unassisted, Low Trigger-, and High Holding-Voltage SCR (uSCR) for On-Chip ESD-Protection Applications

Author

Lou, Lifang ; Liou, Juin J.

Author_Institution

Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando

Volume

28

Issue

12

fYear

2007

Firstpage

1120

Lastpage

1122

Abstract

A new silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) is proposed and realized in a 0.35-mum/3.3-V fully salicided BiCMOS process for electrostatic-discharge (ESD) applications. Without using an external trigger circuitry, the unassisted SCR has a trigger voltage as low as 7 V to effectively protect deep-submicrometer MOS circuits, a holding voltage higher than the supply voltage to minimize transient influence and avoid latch-up issue, and a second snapback current density exceeding 60 mA/mum to provide robust ESD-protection solutions.

Keywords

BiCMOS integrated circuits; electrostatic discharge; rectifiers; system-on-chip; trigger circuits; external trigger circuitry; fully salicided BiCMOS; high holding voltage SCR; low trigger SCR; on chip ESD protection applications; silicon controlled rectifier; size 0.35 mum; voltage 3.3 V; BiCMOS integrated circuits; Breakdown voltage; Current density; Design engineering; Electrostatic discharge; Low voltage; Protection; Rectifiers; Robustness; Thyristors; Electrostatic discharge (ESD); high holding voltage; latch-up; low trigger voltage; silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2007.909838

Filename

4383546