학술논문

Development of a new high holding voltage SCR-based ESD protection structure
Document Type
Conference
Source
2008 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium Reliability Physics Symposium, 2008. IRPS 2008. IEEE International. :3-8 Apr, 2008
Subject
General Topics for Engineers
Electrostatic discharge
Protection
Thyristors
Pulse measurements
Temperature dependence
Low voltage
Bipolar transistors
Feedback loop
Space vector pulse width modulation
Performance evaluation
SCR
holding voltage
ESD
characterization
Language
ISSN
1541-7026
1938-1891
Abstract
A new Silicon Controlled Rectifier Low Voltage Triggered (SCR-LVT), to be adopted as protection structure against electrostatic discharge (ESD) events, has been developed and characterized. A high holding voltage has been obtained thanks to the insertion of two parasitic bipolar transistors, achieved adding a n-buried region to a conventional SCR structure. These two parasitic transistors partially destroy the loop feedback gain of the two main npn and pnp BJTs, resulting in an increase of the sustaining (holding) voltage during the ESD event. A strong dependence of the holding voltage with the ESD pulse width has also been observed, caused by self-heating effects. 2D device simulations (DESSIS Synopsys) have been performed obtaining results that perfectly fit the measurements over a wide temperature range (25 °C–125 °C). Using device simulation results , the factors that influence the holding voltage, in terms of temperature dependence, but also in the behavior of the parasitic BJTs, are explained. A guideline to change the SCR holding voltage, related to the SCR design layout without any change to process parameters, is also proposed.