ELECTROSTATIC PROTECTION ELEMENT

• US 20100044750A1
• Filed: 08/18/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pannova Semic, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: IMAHASHI, Manabu
• Granted Patent: US 7,821,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/173
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0262 including a PNP transistor and a NPN transistor, wherein each of said transistors has its base coupled to the collector of the other transistor, e.g. silicon controlled rectifier [SCR] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7322 having emitter-base and base-collector junctions leaving at the same surface of the body, e.g. planar transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7436 Lateral thyristors

Abstract

An electrostatic protection element relating to the present invention comprises a P-type semiconductor and an N-type first impurity layer provided in the semiconductor substrate. The first impurity layer comprises a P-type second impurity layer functioning as a gate. The second impurity layer comprises an N-type third impurity layer functioning as a cathode. Further, the first impurity layer comprises an N-type fourth impurity layer spaced apart from the second impurity layer at a distance. The fourth impurity layer comprises a P-type fifth impurity layer functioning as an anode and an N-type sixth impurity layer. Then, in the electrostatic protection element, an impurity concentration of the fourth impurity layer is higher than that of the first impurity layer, and a bottom of the fourth impurity layer is deeper than that of the second impurity layer.

Claims

1. An electrostatic protection element to be provided in a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;

a first impurity layer of a second conductivity type, which is a conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, provided in the semiconductor substrate;

a second impurity layer of the first conductive type provided in the first impurity layer functioning as a gate;

a third impurity layer of the second conductive type provided in the second impurity layer functioning as a cathode;

a fourth impurity layer of the second conductive type provided in the first impurity layer spaced apart from the second impurity layer at a distance;

a fifth impurity layer of the first conductive type provided in the fourth impurity layer functioning as an anode; and

a sixth impurity layer of the second conductive type provided in the fourth impurity layer, wherein

an impurity concentration of the fourth impurity layer is higher than that of the first impurity layer, and a bottom of the fourth impurity layer is deeper than that of the second impurity layer.

2. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 1, wherein an impurity concentration of the fifth impurity layer is higher than that of the fourth impurity layer.

3. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 1, wherein

the electrostatic protection element is incorporated into a semiconductor device having an input/output terminal, a power supply terminal and a circuit to be protected, and

the second impurity layer and the third impurity layer are commonly connected to the lowest potential of the semiconductor device;

and the fifth impurity layer and the sixth impurity layer are commonly connected to both the input/output terminal and the circuit to be protected.

4. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 2, wherein

the electrostatic protection element is incorporated into a semiconductor device having an input/output terminal, a power supply terminal and a circuit to be protected, and

the second impurity layer and the third impurity layer are commonly connected to the lowest potential of the semiconductor device;

and the fifth impurity layer and the sixth impurity layer are commonly connected to both the input/output terminal and the circuit to be protected.

5. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 1, wherein

the electrostatic protection element is incorporated into a semiconductor device having an input/output terminal, a power supply terminal and a circuit to be protected, and

the second impurity layer and the third impurity layer are commonly connected to the lowest potential of the semiconductor device;

and the fifth impurity layer and the sixth impurity layer are commonly connected to both the power supply terminal and the circuit to be protected.

6. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 2, wherein

the electrostatic protection element is incorporated into a semiconductor device having an input/output terminal, a power supply terminal and a circuit to be protected, and

the second impurity layer and the third impurity layer are commonly connected to the lowest potential of the semiconductor device;

and the fifth impurity layer and the sixth impurity layer are commonly connected to both the power supply terminal and the circuit to be protected.

7. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 3, wherein the fifth impurity layer and the sixth impurity layer are independently connected to the circuit to be protected, respectively.

8. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 5, wherein the fifth impurity layer and the sixth impurity layer are independently connected to the circuit to be protected, respectively.

9. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 1, wherein the first impurity layer is an epitaxial layer.

10. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 2, wherein the first impurity layer is an epitaxial layer.

11. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 1, wherein a bottom of the fourth impurity layer is deeper than or a same as that of the first impurity layer.

12. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 2, wherein a bottom of the fourth impurity layer is deeper than or a same as that of the first impurity layer.

13. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 1, wherein

the electrostatic protection element is incorporated into a semiconductor device having a circuit to be protected including a high breakdown voltage semiconductor element provided in a well layer of the second conductive type and a low breakdown voltage semiconductor element provided in a well layer of the second conductive type, and

the well layer where the high breakdown voltage semiconductor element is provided and the first impurity layer have a same impurity profile, and the well layer where the low breakdown voltage semiconductor element is provided and the fourth impurity layer have a same impurity profile.

14. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 2, wherein

the electrostatic protection element is incorporated into a semiconductor device having a circuit to be protected including a high breakdown voltage semiconductor element provided in a well layer of the second conductive type and a low breakdown voltage semiconductor element provided in a well layer of the second conductive type, and

the well layer where the high breakdown voltage semiconductor element is provided and the first impurity layer have a same impurity profile, and the well layer where the low breakdown voltage semiconductor element is provided and the fourth impurity layer have a same impurity profile.

15. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 13, wherein

the circuit to be protected contains a semiconductor element having a contact layer including a high-concentration impurity layer of the first conductive type and a semiconductor element having a contact layer including a high-concentration impurity layer of the second conductive type, and

the contact layer of the first conductive type and the fifth impurity layer have a same impurity profile, and the contact layer of the second conductive type, the third impurity layer and the sixth impurity layer have a same impurity profile.

16. An electrostatic protection element according to claim 14, wherein

the circuit to be protected contains a semiconductor element having a contact layer including a high-concentration impurity layer of the first conductive type and a semiconductor element having a contact layer including a high-concentration impurity layer of the second conductive type, and

the contact layer of the first conductive type and the fifth impurity layer have a same impurity profile, and the contact layer of the second conductive type, the third impurity layer and the sixth impurity layer have a same impurity profile.