Integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation and method for improving signal noise isolation

• US 7,138,686 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Banerjee, Suman K., Ferrer, Enrique, Hartin, Olin L., Secareanu, Radu M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Quach, T. N.
• Application Number:
  US11/142,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20060267133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 257/371, 257/372, 257/503, 257/544, 257/546
• US Class Current: 257/371
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• 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

Abstract

A system-on chip (SOC) (100) and method of isolating noise in a SOC, including a plurality of noise sensitive circuit blocks (120, 220) and ESD protected pads (302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, and 314). A VDD isolation pad (302) is connected to an N well ring (124) of the first noise sensitive circuit (120) to collect noise from the substrate (110) and isolate the circuit from the P well region (112). A ground protected pad (304) is connected to an isolated P well (126) of a first noise sensitive circuit (120). The ground pad (304) collects noise from the isolated P well (126) and sends it to ground. A dedicated ground isolation pad (306) is connected to a P well ring (224) of a second noise sensitive circuit (220). The dedicated ground isolation pad (306) collects noise from the P well ring (224) and sends it to ground. The dedicated ground isolation pad (306) and the ground pad (304) collect noise that would normally propagate between the first and second noise sensitive circuits (120, 220) and additional circuits that share the same substrate (110).

Claims

1. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation including a first noise sensitive circuit formed within an isolated P well defined by an N well ring and a deep N well region, and a second noise sensitive circuit formed within an N well region and having a P⁺ source/drain ring formed thereabout, the integrated circuit comprising:

a first dedicated isolation pad connected to the N well ring; and

a second dedicated isolation pad connected to the P⁺ source/drain ring.

2. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first dedicated isolation pad is a dedicated VDD isolation pad.

3. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second dedicated isolation pad is a dedicated ground isolation pad.

4. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 1 further including a P⁺ source/drain contact region extending into the isolated P well and connected to a ground ESD protected pad and an N⁺ source/drain contact region extending into the isolated P well.

5. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 4 wherein the N⁺ source/drain contact region extending into the isolated P well is an interdigitated finger structure that forms the source and drain of an NMOS structure formed in the isolated P well.

6. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 1 further including an N⁺ source drain contact region extending into the N well region and connected to a VDD pad and a P⁺ source/drain contact region extending into the N well region.

7. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 6 wherein the P⁺ source/drain contact region extending into the N well region is an interdigitated finger structure that forms the source and drain of a PMOS structure.

8. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 6 wherein the integrated circuit is part of a system-on-chip.

9. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation including a first noise sensitive circuit formed in an isolated P well structure defined by an N well ring and a deep N well region and a second noise sensitive circuit having a P⁺ source/drain ring formed thereabout, the integrated circuit comprising:

a first dedicated isolation pad connected to the N well ring of the isolated P well structure, the first dedicated isolation pad providing for signal isolation of the first noise sensitive circuit;

a second dedicated isolation pad connected to the P⁺ source/drain ring, the second dedicated isolation pad providing for ground contact and signal isolation of the second noise sensitive circuit;

an RF in pad providing an input signal to an RF circuit;

a RF out pad providing for an output signal to the RF circuit;

a ground pad providing for a ground connection to the first noise sensitive circuit; and

a VDD pad providing for connection to the second noise sensitive circuit.

10. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first dedicated isolation pad is a dedicated VDD isolation pad.

11. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 9 wherein the second dedicated isolation pad is a dedicated ground isolation pad.

12. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 9 further including a dedicated ground edge seal pad connected to an edge seal formed about a perimeter of the integrated circuit, wherein the ground ES pad provides protection of the first and second noise sensitive circuits.

13. An integrated circuit with improved signal noise isolation as claimed in claim 9 further including a plurality of ESD diodes, each formed in an isolated P well and connected to the dedicated VDD isolation pad and the ground ESD protected pad.

14. A method of improving signal noise isolation in an integrated circuit comprising:

providing a mixed-signal circuit including a plurality of noise sensitive circuit blocks formed in one of an N well and having a P⁺ source drain ring formed thereabout or an isolated P well defined by an N well ring and a deep N well region;

connecting at least one of the noise sensitive circuit blocks formed in an N well to a VDD pad and connecting the P⁺ source drain ring formed thereabout the at least one noise sensitive circuit block to a dedicated ground isolation pad; and

connecting at least one of the noise sensitive circuit blocks formed in an isolated P well to a ground pad and connecting the N well ring and the deep N well region to a dedicated VDD isolation pad;

wherein the dedicated VDD isolation pad and the dedicated ground isolation pad provide for noise isolation in the mixed-signal circuit.

15. A method of improving signal noise isolation in an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 14 wherein the mixed signal circuit including a plurality of noise sensitive circuits includes a first noise sensitive circuit and a second noise sensitive circuit, and the first and second noise sensitive circuits form a transceiver.

16. A method of improving signal noise isolation in an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 15 wherein the first noise sensitive circuit is an NMOS structure.

17. A method of improving signal noise isolation in an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 15 wherein the second noise sensitive circuit is a PMOS structure.

18. A method of improving signal noise isolation in an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 14 further including the step of connecting an edge seal formed about a perimeter of the integrated circuit to a ground edge seal pad, wherein the ground edge seal pad provides protection of the plurality of noise sensitive circuits.

19. A method of improving signal noise isolation in an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 14 further including the steps of providing a plurality of ESD diodes and clamps connected to the plurality of noise sensitive circuits.

20. A method of improving signal noise isolation in an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 19 further including the step of providing at least one ESD diode formed in an isolated P well, wherein the at least one ESD diode is connected to the dedicated VDD isolation pad and the ground pad.