Minimizing Multiple Triggering Effect in Diode-Triggered Silicon-Controlled Rectifiers for ESD Protection Applications

Author

Miao, Meng ; Dong, Shurong ; Wu, Jian ; Zeng, Jie ; Liou, Juin J. ; Ma, Fei ; Li, Hongwei ; Han, Yan

Author_Institution

Dept. of Inf. Sci. & Electron. Eng., Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou, China

Volume

33

Issue

6

fYear

2012

fDate

6/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

893

Lastpage

895

Abstract

The diode-triggered silicon-controlled rectifier (DTSCR) is frequently used for low-voltage electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection applications, but such a device can exhibit two snapbacks and consequently can possess an undesirable large trigger voltage. This letter investigates the mechanism underlying the DTSCR´s multiple triggering. An improved DTSCR for reducing the second trigger voltage and increasing the ESD safe margin is proposed and verified in a 65-nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process. The improved DTSCR´s turn-on characteristic is also discussed.

Keywords

CMOS integrated circuits; electrostatic discharge; low-power electronics; protection; thyristors; DTSCR; ESD protection applications; ESD safe margin; complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process; diode-triggered silicon-controlled rectifiers; large trigger voltage; low-voltage electrostatic discharge protection; multiple triggering effect; snapbacks; turn-on characteristic; CMOS integrated circuits; Delay; Electrostatic discharges; Layout; Logic gates; Silicon; Thyristors; Diode trigger; electrostatic discharge (ESD); silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2012.2191930

Filename

6194989