Circuitry for protecting electronic circuits against electrostatic discharges and methods of operating the same
View Patent ↗A device for protecting an electronic circuit against electrostatic discharges comprises a connection terminal linked to one terminal of the electronic circuit, two tracks respectively linked to two terminals of an electrical power source supplying the electronic circuit, and two diodes each one linked to one of the two tracks and to the connection terminal. The two diodes are placed on a surface of a substrate. The connection terminal is carried by the substrate and is located above part of at least one of the two diodes with respect to the substrate.
1. A device for protecting an electronic circuit against electrostatic discharges, the device comprising:
a connection terminal capable of being linked to one terminal of said electronic circuit,
first and second tracks capable of being coupled respectively to first and second terminals of an electrical power source, wherein the first track has a higher electrical potential than the second track,
a first diode having a cathode linked to the first track and an anode linked to the connection terminal, and
a second diode having a cathode linked to the connection terminal and an anode linked to the second track,
wherein the first and second diodes are associated with a surface of a substrate, the connection terminal and the first and second tracks are carried by said substrate, the connection terminal is located above at least part of one or more of the first and second diodes with respect to the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and at least part of each of the first and second tracks is located between at least one of the first and second diodes and the connection terminal.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the anode of the first diode is surrounded by the cathode of the first diode in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate, and wherein the anode of the first diode is linked to the connection terminal by at least one connection passing through one of the first and second tracks, the at least one connection being electrically insulated from the first and second tracks.
3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cathode of the second diode is surrounded by the anode of the second diode in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate, and wherein the cathode of the second diode is linked to the connection terminal by at least one connection passing through one of the first and second tracks, the at least one connection being electrically insulated from the first and second tracks.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein both diodes are included inside a region corresponding to a projection of the connection terminal onto the surface of the substrate in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the first and second tracks each have respective segments of track length completely located inside a cylinder having the connection terminal as a base and the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate as an axis.
6. An electrical device comprising an electronic circuit and a device for protecting against electrostatic discharges, the device comprising:
a connection terminal capable of being linked to one terminal of said electronic circuit,
first and second tracks capable of being coupled respectively to first and second terminals of an electrical power source, wherein the first track has a higher electrical potential than the second track,
a first diode having a cathode linked to the first track and an anode linked to the connection terminal, and
a second diode having a cathode linked to the connection terminal and an anode linked to the second track,
wherein the first and second diodes are associated with a surface of a substrate, the connection terminal and the first and second tracks are carried by said substrate, the connection terminal is located above at least part of one or more of the first and second diodes with respect to the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and at least part of each of the first and second tracks is located between at least one of the first and second diodes and the connection terminal.
7. The electrical device according to claim 6 , wherein the electronic circuit and the device for protecting against electrostatic discharges are both carried by the substrate.
8. The electrical device according to claim 6 , further comprising a voltage limiter connected to the first track and to the second track.
9. The electrical device according to claim 6 , wherein:
the anode of the first diode is coupled to the connection terminal at a first connection point; and
the cathode of the second diode is coupled to the connection terminal at a second connection point.
10. The electrical device according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first track has a first opening above the anode of the first diode in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate; and
the second track has a second opening above the cathode of the second diode in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
11. The electrical device according to claim 10 , wherein:
one or more first connections between the connection terminal and the anode of the first diode pass through the first opening; and
one or more second connections between the connection terminal and the cathode of the second diode pass through the second opening.
12. The electrical device according to claim 6 , wherein:
the anode of the first diode is surrounded by the cathode of the first diode in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate; and
the cathode of the second diode is surrounded by the anode of the second diode in the plane parallel to the surface of the substrate.
13. The electrical device according to claim 6 , wherein both diodes are included inside a region corresponding to a projection of the connection terminal onto the surface of the substrate in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
14. The electrical device according to claim 13 , wherein the first and second tracks each have respective segments of track length completely located inside a cylinder having the connection terminal as a base and the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate as an axis.
15. A method, comprising:
forming a first diode and a second diode;
forming first and second tracks capable of being coupled respectively to first and second terminals of an electrical power source, wherein the first track has a higher electrical potential than the second track; and
forming a connection terminal capable of being coupled to an electronic circuit, the first diode having a cathode coupled to the first track and an anode coupled to the connection terminal, the second diode having a cathode coupled to the connection terminal and an anode coupled to the second track;
wherein the connection terminal, the diodes, and the tracks are carried by a substrate, the connection terminal overlaps at least part of one or more of the diodes in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate, and at least part of each of the tracks is located between one or more of the diodes and the connection terminal.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein:
the anode of the first diode is coupled to the connection terminal at a first connection point; and
the cathode of the second diode is coupled to the connection terminal at a second connection point.
17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein:
forming the first diode comprises forming the anode of the first diode surrounded by the cathode of the first diode in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate; and
forming the second diode comprises forming the cathode of the second diode surrounded by the anode of the second diode in the plane parallel to the surface of the substrate.
18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein both diodes are formed inside a region corresponding to a projection of the connection terminal onto the surface of the substrate in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein forming the first and second tracks comprises:
forming the first track with a first opening that overlaps the anode of the first diode in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate; and
forming the second track with a second opening that overlaps the cathode of the second diode in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate; and
further comprising:
forming one or more first connections between the connection terminal and the anode of the first diode that pass through the first opening; and
forming one or more second connections between the connection terminal and the cathode of the second diode that pass through the second opening.
20. The device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the anode of the first diode is coupled to the connection terminal at a first connection point; and
the cathode of the second diode is coupled to the connection terminal at a second connection point.