Complementary-SCR ESD protection circuit with interdigitated finger-type layout for input pads of submicron CMOS IC's

A new ESD protection circuit with complementary SCR structures and junction diodes is proposed. This complementary-SCR ESD protection circuit with interdigitated finger-type layout has been successfully fabricated and verified in a 0.6 /spl mu/m CMOS SRAM technology with the LDD process. The proposed ESD protection circuit can be free of VDD-to-VSS latchup under 5 V VDD operation by means of a base-emitter shorting method. To compensate for the degradation on latching capability of lateral SCR devices in the ESD protection circuit caused by the base-emitter shorting method, the p-well to p-well spacing of lateral BJT's in the lateral SCR devices is reduced to lower its ESD-trigger voltage and to enhance turn-on speed of positive-feedback regeneration in the lateral SCR devices. This ESD protection circuit can perform at high ESD failure threshold in small layout areas, so it is very suitable for submicron CMOS VLSI/ULSI's in high-pin-count or high-density applications. >

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