Overvoltage protection device using pin diodes
First Claim
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1. An overvoltage protection device comprising:
- a signal node for receiving and conveying a signal voltage;
an internal circuitry node electrically interconnected to said signal node;
a positive voltage PiN diode electrically connected to said signal node and to a positive voltage source whereby said positive voltage PiN diode has its forward direction from said signal node to said positive voltage source wherein said positive voltage PiN diode is in a reverse bias mode when a voltage at said signal node is within a predetermined voltage range, and wherein said positive voltage PiN diode is in a forward bias mode when a voltage present at said signal node is above said predetermined voltage range, and wherein said positive voltage PiN diode, while in said reverse bias mode, exhibits a capacitance in the range of 10 to 20 fF, and a negative voltage PiN diode electrically connected to said signal node and to a negative voltage source whereby said negative voltage PiN diode has its forward direction from said negative voltage source to said signal node wherein said negative voltage PiN diode is in a reverse bias mode when a voltage at said signal is within a predetermined voltage range, and wherein said negative voltage PiN diode is in a forward bias mode when a voltage present at said signal node is below said predetermined voltage range, and wherein said positive voltage PiN diode, while in said reverse bias mode, exhibits a capacitance in the range of 10 to 20 fF.
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Abstract
A device and method of manufacture for a low capacitance overvoltage protection device. This is accomplished through the use of PiN diodes to shunt overvoltage away from internal circuit elements. PiN diodes are useful because they exhibit a low capacitance in reverse bias mode. Radio frequency integrated circuits and other integrated circuits operated at high frequency are sensitive to capacitance. This invention protects against circuit damage due to overvoltage events while keeping capacitance low through the use of PiN diodes.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An overvoltage protection device comprising:
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a signal node for receiving and conveying a signal voltage;
an internal circuitry node electrically interconnected to said signal node;
a positive voltage PiN diode electrically connected to said signal node and to a positive voltage source whereby said positive voltage PiN diode has its forward direction from said signal node to said positive voltage source wherein said positive voltage PiN diode is in a reverse bias mode when a voltage at said signal node is within a predetermined voltage range, and wherein said positive voltage PiN diode is in a forward bias mode when a voltage present at said signal node is above said predetermined voltage range, and wherein said positive voltage PiN diode, while in said reverse bias mode, exhibits a capacitance in the range of 10 to 20 fF, and a negative voltage PiN diode electrically connected to said signal node and to a negative voltage source whereby said negative voltage PiN diode has its forward direction from said negative voltage source to said signal node wherein said negative voltage PiN diode is in a reverse bias mode when a voltage at said signal is within a predetermined voltage range, and wherein said negative voltage PiN diode is in a forward bias mode when a voltage present at said signal node is below said predetermined voltage range, and wherein said positive voltage PiN diode, while in said reverse bias mode, exhibits a capacitance in the range of 10 to 20 fF. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit fabricated as part of a SOI integrated circuit comprising:
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a signal node for receiving and conveying a signal voltage;
a sink node;
at least one PiN diode for shunting voltage events away from the signal node to the sink node whereby said at least one PiN diode is in a reverse bias mode when a voltage at said signal node is within a predetermined range, and wherein said at least one PiN diode is in a forward bias mode when a voltage at said signal node is outside said predetermined range, and wherein a capacitance of said at least one PiN diode while in said reverse bias mode is less than 20 fF per PiN device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An overvoltage protection device comprising:
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a signal node for receiving and conveying a signal voltage;
an internal circuitry node electrically interconnected to said signal node;
a positive voltage source;
a negative voltage source;
a first PiN diode electrically connected to said signal node and to said positive voltage source whereby said first PiN diode has its forward direction from said signal node to said positive voltage source;
a second PiN diode electrically connected to said signal node and to said negative voltage source whereby said second PiN diode has its forward direction from said negative voltage source to said signal node;
a third PiN diode electrically connected to said internal circuitry node and to said positive voltage source whereby said third PiN diode has its forward direction from said internal circuitry node to said positive voltage source;
a fourth PiN diode electrically connected to said internal circuitry node and said negative voltage source whereby said fourth PiN diode has its forward direction from said negative voltage source to said signal node; and
a capacitor electrically connected to said signal node and to said circuit element whereby an electric surge at the signal node is substantially shunted away from the internal circuitry node. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for fabricating an overvoltage protection device for an integrated circuit comprising the steps of:
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providing a semiconductor substrate;
forming a plurality of PiN diodes on the semiconductor substrate;
coupling at least one of said PiN diodes to a signal node and to a positive voltage source; and
coupling at least one of said PiN diodes to a signal node and to a negative voltage source wherein both PiN diodes are reverse biased when a voltage at the signal node is within a predetermined range and wherein at least one of said PiN diodes is forward biased when a voltage at the signal node is above a predetermined range and wherein at least one of said PiN diodes is forward biased when a voltage at the signal node is below a predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification