System and method for electrostatic discharge protection in an electronic circuit
A system and method for implementing an electronic circuit for protecting electronic components from ESD. A PCB or IC may include an electrostatic discharge protection layer having a first and second conductive layer separated by a semi-conductive dielectric layer. Further, the PCB/IC may include a protected node coupled to the first conductive layer and a current-shunt node electrically coupled to the second conductive layer, such that a signal at the protected node that is below a threshold magnitude propagates through the protected node in a normal operating path and a signal at the protected node that exceeds a threshold magnitude is diverted to the semi-conductive dielectric layer to the current-shunt node in a current-shunt path. In this manner, existing layers of a PCB/IC may be used for both ESD protection and other functions, such as ground planes or battery plane by isolating the specific sections of the layer for its intended use.
1 . An electronic circuit for protecting electronic components from electrostatic discharge, the circuit comprising:
an electrostatic discharge protection layer having a first and second conductive layer separated by a semi-conductive dielectric layer; and
a protected node electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and a current-shunt node electrically coupled to the second conductive layer, such that a signal at the protected node that is below a threshold magnitude propagates through the protected node in a normal operating path and a signal at the protected node that exceeds a threshold magnitude is diverted to propagate through the semi-conductive dielectric layer to the current-shunt node in a current-shunt path.
2 . The electronic circuit of claim 1 wherein the protected node comprises a signal node.
3 . The electronic circuit of claim 1 wherein the current-shunt node comprises at least one type of node from the group of nodes comprising: a signal node, a ground node, and a battery node.
4 . The electronic circuit of claim 1 wherein the threshold magnitude comprises a voltage threshold magnitude.
5 . The electronic circuit of claim 1 wherein the threshold magnitude comprises a current threshold magnitude.
6 . The electronic circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of layers such that the electrostatic discharge layer comprises one layer and at least one protected node is disposed in at least one other layer.
7 . The electronic circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a second current-shunt node that is part of a second current-shunt path operable to further dissipate a signal that exceeds the threshold magnitude, such that a signal that exceeds the threshold magnitude propagates through a first and second current-shunt nodes proportionally.
8 . The electronic circuit of claim 7 wherein the second current-shunt path comprises a path through the semi-conductive dielectric layer.
9 . The electronic circuit of claim 7 wherein the second current-shunt path comprises a path through a surface mount electrostatic discharge device.
10 . The electronic circuit of claim 1 disposed in an integrated circuit.
11 . The electronic circuit of claim 1 disposed in a printed circuit board.
12 . An electronic circuit for diverting electrostatic discharge signals, the electronic circuit comprising:
a protection circuit comprising:
an electrostatic discharge protection layer having a first and second conductive layer separated by a semi-conductive dielectric layer; and
a protected node electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and a current-shunt node electrically coupled to the second conductive layer, such that a signal at the protected node that is below a threshold magnitude propagates through the protected node in a normal operating path and a signal at the protected node that exceeds a threshold magnitude is diverted to propagate through the semi-conductive dielectric layer to the current-shunt node in a current-shunt path; and
a protected component electrically coupled to the protection circuit at the protected node, such that electrostatic discharge signals that exceed the threshold magnitude are diverted away from the protected component.
13 . The electronic circuit of claim 12 wherein the protected component comprises a millimeter-wave package.
14 . The electronic circuit of claim 12 wherein the protected component comprises a radio-frequency amplifier.
15 . The electronic circuit of claim 12 wherein the protected component comprises a duplexor filter.
16 . The electronic circuit of claim 12 wherein the protected component comprises a radio-frequency point filter.
17 . A method for dissipating an electrostatic discharge signal in an electronic circuit, the method comprising:
detecting a signal intended for a normal operating path at a node, the signal exceeding a threshold magnitude;
diverting the signal from the normal operating path to a current-shunt path, the current-shunt path including a semi-conductive dielectric layer and a current-shunt node; and
dissipating the signal at the current-shunt node electrically coupled to the semi-conductive dielectric layer.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
diverting the signal from the normal operating path to a second current-shunt path, the second current-shunt path including a second semi-conductive dielectric layer and a second current-shunt node; and
dissipating the signal at the second current-shunt node electrically coupled to the semi-conductive dielectric layer.
19 . The method of claim 17 wherein the dissipating the signal at the current-shunt node comprises dissipating the signal in a ground plane.
20 . The method of claim 17 wherein the dissipating the signal at the current-shunt node comprises dissipating the signal in a battery plane.