Back-to-back NPN/PNP protection diodes
View Patent ↗A device includes a memory device and an NPN or PNP diode coupled to a word-line of the memory device. The NPN diode includes a p-type substrate connected to ground, a well of n-type material formed in the p-type substrate in direct physical contact with the p-type substrate and electrically connected to the p-type substrate via a first metal line, a well of p-type material formed in the first well of n-type material, a first n-type region formed in the well of p-type material in direct physical contact with the well of p-type material and connected to the word line of the memory device, and a first p-type region formed in the well of n-type material in direct physical contact with the well of n-type material and electrically connected to the well of p-type material via a second metal line. The PNP diode includes a n-type substrate connected to ground, a well of p-type material formed in the n-type substrate in direct physical contact with the n-type substrate and electrically connected to the n-type substrate via a first metal line, a well of n-type material formed in the first well of p-type material, a first p-type region formed in the well of n-type material in direct physical contact with the well of n-type material and connected to the word line of the memory device, and a first n-type region formed in the well of p-type material in direct physical contact with the well of p-type material and electrically connected to the well of n-type material via a second metal line.
1. A protection device, comprising:
a well of n-type material formed in a p-type substrate;
a well of p-type material formed in the well of n-type material;
a first n-type region formed in the well of p-type material in direct physical contact with the well of p-type material, where the first n-type region is coupled to an other device;
a first p-type region formed in the well of p-type material;
a second p-type region formed in the well of n-type material in direct physical contact with the well of n-type material, the second p-type region being electrically connected to the first p-type region via a metal line; and
a second n-type region formed in the well of n-type material,
where charge flows from the other device to ground through the first n-type region, the well of p-type material, the first p-type region, the metal line, the second p-type region, the well of n-type material, and the second n-type region.
2. The protection device of claim 1 , where the other device is a memory device and where the first n-type region is coupled to a word line of the memory device.
3. The protection device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first gate formed over the first n-type region; and
a second gate formed over the second p-type region.
4. The protection device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third p-type region formed in the p-type substrate in direct physical contact with the p-type substrate, where the third p-type region is coupled to a voltage source and electrically connected to the second n-type region via a metal line.
5. The protection device of claim 4 , where the charge flows from the other device to ground through the first n-type region, the well of p-type material, the first p-type region, the metal line, the second p-type region, the well of n-type material, the second n-type region, the third p-type region and the p-type substrate.
6. The protection device of claim 1 , where the well of n-type material is formed to a depth ranging from about 5,000 Å to about 25,000 Å in the p-type substrate, where the well of p-type material is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the well of n-type material, where the first n-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the well of p-type material, and where the first p-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 200 Å to about 2,000 Å in the well of p-type material.
7. The protection device of claim 1 , where the n-type material, the first n-type region and the second n-type region each include one of silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium doped with one of phosphorous, arsenic or antimony and where the p-type substrate, p-type material, first p-type region, and second p-type region each include one of silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium doped with one of boron or indium.
8. The protection device of claim 1 , where the second p-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the well of n-type material, and where the second n-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the well of n-type material.
9. A protection device, comprising:
a first well of n-type material formed in a p-type substrate;
a well of p-type material formed in a first well of n-type material;
a first n-type region formed in the well of p-type material in direct physical contact with the well of p-type material, where the first n-type region is coupled to an other device;
a first p-type region formed in the well of p-type material;
a second well of n-type material formed in the p-type substrate;
a second p-type region formed in the second well of n-type material in direct physical contact with the second well of n-type material, the second p-type region being electrically connected to the first p-type region via a metal line; and
a second n-type region formed in the second well of n-type material,
where charge flows from the other device to ground through the first n-type region, the well of p-type material, the first p-type region, the metal line, the second p-type region, the second well of n-type material, and the second n-type region.
10. The protection device of claim 9 , where the other device is a memory device and where the first n-type region is coupled to a word line of the memory device.
11. The protection device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first gate formed over the first n-type region; and
a second gate formed over the second p-type region.
12. The protection device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a third p-type region formed in the p-type substrate in direct physical contact with the p-type substrate, where the third p-type region is coupled to a voltage source and electrically connected to the second n-type region via a metal line.
13. The protection device of claim 12 , where the charge flows from the other device to ground through the first n-type region, the well of p-type material, the first p-type region, the metal line, the second p-type region, the second well of n-type material, the second n-type region, the third p-type region and the p-type substrate.
14. The protection device of claim 9 , where the first well of n-type material is formed to a depth ranging from about 5,000 Å to about 25,000 Å in the p-type substrate, where the well of p-type material is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the first well of n-type material, where the first n-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the well of p-type material, and where the first p-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 200 Å to about 2,000 Å in the well of p-type material.
15. The protection device of claim 9 , where the n-type material, the first n-type region and the second n-type region include one of silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium doped with one of phosphorous, arsenic or antimony and where the p-type substrate, p-type material, first p-type region and second p-type region include one of silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium doped with one of boron or indium.
16. The protection device of claim 9 , where the second p-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the second well of n-type material, and where the second n-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the second well of n-type material.
17. The protection device of claim 16 , where the second well of n-type material is formed to a depth ranging from about 3,000 Å to about 10,000 Å in the p-type substrate, where the second p-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 200 Å to about 2,000 Å in the second well of n-type material, and where the second n-type region is formed to a depth ranging from about 200 Å to about 2,000 Å in the second well of n-type material.
18. A device, comprising:
a memory device; and
an NPN or PNP diode coupled to a word line of the memory device,
where the NPN diode comprises:
a p-type substrate connected to ground,
a well of n-type material formed in the p-type substrate in direct physical contact with the p-type substrate and electrically connected to the p-type substrate via a first metal line,
a well of p-type material formed in the well of n-type material,
a first n-type region formed in the well of p-type material in direct physical contact with the well of p-type material and connected to the word line of the memory device, and
a first p-type region formed in the well of n-type material in direct physical contact with the well of n-type material and electrically connected to the well of p-type material via a second metal line;
and where the PNP diode comprises:
a n-type substrate connected to ground,
a well of p-type material formed in the n-type substrate in direct physical contact with the n-type substrate and electrically connected to the n-type substrate via a first metal line,
a well of n-type material formed in the well of p-type material,
a first p-type region formed in the well of n-type material in direct physical contact with the well of n-type material and connected to the word line of the memory device, and
a first n-type region formed in the well of p-type material in direct physical contact with the well of p-type material and electrically connected to the well of n-type material via a second metal line.
19. A device, comprising:
a memory device; and
an NPN or PNP diode coupled to a word line of the memory device,
where the NPN diode comprises:
a p-type substrate connected to ground,
a first well of n-type material formed in the p-type substrate in direct physical contact with the p-type substrate,
a well of p-type material formed in the first well of n-type material,
a first n-type region formed in the well of p-type material in direct physical contact with the well of p-type material and connected to the word line of the memory device,
a second well of n-type material formed in the p-type substrate in direct physical contact with the p-type substrate and electrically connected to the p-type substrate via a first metal line, and
a first p-type region formed in the second well of n-type material in direct physical contact with the second well of n-type material and electrically connected to the well of p-type material via a second metal line;
and where the PNP diode comprises:
a n-type substrate connected to ground,
a first well of p-type material formed in the n-type substrate in direct physical contact with the n-type substrate,
a well of n-type material formed in the first well of p-type material,
a first p-type region formed in the well of n-type material in direct physical contact with the well of n-type material and connected to the word line of the memory device,
a second well of p-type material formed in the n-type substrate in direct physical contact with the n-type substrate and electrically connected to the n-type substrate via a first metal line, and
a first n-type region formed in the second well of p-type material in direct physical contact with the second well of p-type material and electrically connected to the well of n-type material via a second metal line.