Enhancing Bandwidth of ESD Network Using Transformers

• US 20100067154A1
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Hung, Tsung-Yang, Deng, Kuo-Liang
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/56
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/0046 with a conductive path having a bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/60 Protection against electrostatic charges or discharges, e.g. Faraday shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0248 for electrical or thermal protection, e.g. electrostatic discharge [ESD] protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance

Abstract

An integrated circuit device includes a first pad and a second pad; electrostatic discharging (ESD) devices coupling the first pad and the second pad to a discharging path; a transformer including a first end, a second end, a third end and a fourth end, wherein the first end and the second end are coupled to the first pad and the second pad, respectively; and a transceiver circuit coupled to the first end and the second end of the transformer.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a first pad and a second pad;

electrostatic discharging (ESD) devices coupling the first pad and the second pad to a discharging path;

a transformer comprising a first end, a second end, a third end and a four end, wherein the first end and the second end are coupled to the first pad and the second pad, respectively; and

a transceiver circuit coupled to the first end and the second end of the transformer.

2. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first terminating resistor; and

a second terminating resistor, wherein the third end and the fourth end of the transformer are coupled to the first terminating resistor and the second terminating resistor, respectively.

3. The integrated circuit device of claim 2, wherein the first terminating resistor and the second terminating resistor are connected to a ground.

4. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the ESD devices, the transformer, and the transceiver circuit are in a first semiconductor chip, and wherein the first pad and the second pad are bond pads of the first semiconductor chip.

5. The integrated circuit device of claim 4, wherein the first end and the second end of the transformer are directly connected to the first pad and the second pad, respectively.

6. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 further comprising:

a second semiconductor chip comprising;

a third pad and a fourth pad;

additional electrostatic discharging (ESD) devices coupled to the third pad and the fourth pad;

an additional transformer coupled to the third pad and the fourth pad; and

an additional transceiver circuit coupled to the additional transformer, wherein the transceiver circuit is a receiving circuit, and the additional transceiver circuit is a transmitting circuit; and

a transmission channel coupling the first pad and the second pad to the third pad and the fourth pad.

7. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver circuit is a receiving circuit.

8. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver circuit is a transmitting circuit.

9. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 further comprising:

additional ESD devices coupled between the transformer and the transceiver circuit, wherein the additional ESD devices couple inputs of the transceiver circuit to the discharging path.

10. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the transformer comprises a first coiled metal line and a second coiled metal line, and wherein the first coiled metal line comprises the first end, and the second coiled metal line comprises the second end.

11. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a semiconductor chip comprising;

a first bond pad and a second bond pad;

a transformer comprising;

a first coiled metal line comprising a first end and a second end; and

a second coiled metal line comprising a third end and a fourth end, wherein the first end and the third end are connected to the first bond pad and the second bond pad, respectively;

a first electrostatic discharging (ESD) device coupled between the first bond pad and a discharging path selected from a power and a ground;

a second ESD device coupled between the second bond pad and the discharging path; and

a circuit comprising;

a first terminal coupled to the first bond pad; and

a second terminal coupled to the second bond pad.

12. The integrated circuit device of claim 11, wherein the first ESD device and the second ESD device are directly connected to the first bond pad and the second bond pad, respectively.

13. The integrated circuit device of claim 11 further comprising:

a third ESD device coupled between the first bond pad and a power line; and

a fourth ESD device coupled between the second bond pad and the power line.

14. The integrated circuit device of claim 11, wherein the circuit is a transceiver circuit selected from the group consisting essentially of a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit.

15. The integrated circuit device of claim 11 further comprising:

a first terminating resistor having a first end connected to the second end of the transformer, and a second end connected to the discharging path; and

a second terminating resistor having a first end connected to the fourth end of the transformer, and a second end connected to the ground.

16. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a first semiconductor chip comprising;

a first pair of bond pads;

a first transformer connected to the first pair of bond pads;

a first pair of electrostatic discharging (ESD) devices coupling the first pair of bond pads to a ground; and

a receiving circuit coupled to the first pair of bond pads;

a second semiconductor chip comprising;

a second pair of bond pads;

a second transformer connected to the second pair of bond pads;

a second pair of ESD devices coupling the second pair of bond pads to the ground; and

a transmitting circuit coupled to the second pair of bond pads; and

a mounting board, where the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip are mounted on, and interconnected through, the mounting board.

17. The integrated circuit device of claim 16, wherein the first semiconductor chip further comprises:

a first terminating resistor connected to the ground; and

a second terminating resistor connected to the ground, wherein the first transformer comprises a first pair of ends directly connected to the first pair of bond pads, and a second pair of ends connected to the first terminator resistor and the second terminating resistor.

18. The integrated circuit device of claim 17, wherein the second semiconductor chip further comprises:

a first terminating resistor connected to the ground; and

a second terminating resistor connected to the ground, wherein the second transformer comprises a third pair of ends directly connected to the second pair of bond pads, and a fourth pair of ends connected to the first terminating resistor and the second terminating resistor.

19. The integrated circuit device of claim 16, wherein the first transformer has only two ends connected between the first pair of bond pads and the receiving circuit, and wherein the second transformer has only two ends connected between the second pair of bond pads and the transmitting circuit.