Tuneable holding voltage SCR ESD protection

• US 6,172,404 B1
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Yun-Shan, Chen, Julian Z., Vrotsos, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Jr., Jerome
• Application Number:
  US09/183,351
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 257/141, 257/162, 257/173, 257/174, 257/360, 257/361, 257/379, 257/358, 257/363
• US Class Current: 257/361
• 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 29/7436 Lateral thyristors

Abstract

An SCR provides for increased holding voltage by decoupling the pnp and npn parasitic bipolar transistors of the SCR. In one embodiment, a N+ region is placed between the n+ region and the p+ region normally associated with conventional SCR devices, to formulate a new resistance. The new resistance is manifested to allow more current to flow through the new resistance rather than through the SCR parasitic pnp bipolar transistor. Since the parasitic pnp bipolar transistor no longer turns on as strongly as it would otherwise without the low resistance path through the new resistor, the holding voltage of the SCR is raised.

Claims

1. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier comprising:

(a) a lightly doped substrate of a first conductivity type;

(b) a region of a second conductivity type,

wherein the boundaries of said region of said second conductivity type define the edges of a well within said substrate;

(c) a highly doped region of said second conductivity type within said substrate outside of said well;

(d) a highly doped region of said first conductivity type, within said well;

(e) a highly doped region of said second conductivity type disposed at the edge of said well; and

(f) a highly doped region of said second conductivity type within said well and interposed between element (d) and (e).

2. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier as recited in claim 1 wherein said first conductivity type is n-type and wherein said second conductivity type is p-type.

3. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier as recited in claim 1 wherein said first conductivity type is p-type and wherein said first conductivity type is n-type.

4. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier as recited in claim 1 which further includes (g) a highly doped region of said second conductivity type, adjacent a side of element (d), which is on an opposite side from element (f).

5. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier as recited in claim 4 which further includes a bond pad connected to element (d), element (f) and element (g).

6. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier as recited in claim 5 wherein the distance of element (f) from element (d) is selected so that the trigger voltage of said semiconductor-controlled rectifier is higher than a circuit supply voltage associated with said bond pad.

7. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier comprising:

(a) a lightly doped substrate of a first conductivity type;

(b) a region of a second conductivity type,

wherein the boundaries of said region of said second conductivity type define the edges of a well within said substrate;

(c) a highly doped region of said second conductivity type within said substrate outside of said well;

(d) a highly doped region of said first conductivity type, within said well;

(e) a highly doped region of said second conductivity type disposed at the edge of said well; and

(f) a highly doped region of said second conductivity type within said well and interposed between element (d) and (e) and abutting element (d).

8. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier as recited in claim 7 wherein said first conductivity type is n-type and wherein said second conductivity type is p-type.

9. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier as recited in claim 7 wherein said first conductivity type is p-type and wherein said first conductivity type is n-type.

10. A semiconductor-controlled rectifier as recited in claim 7 which further includes a bond pad connected to element (d), and element (f).