IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,715,162
Granted Patent B2
US 7,715,162 · App. 12/046,683 · Granted May 11, 2010

Optically triggered electro-static discharge protection circuit

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,715,162
App. No.
12/046,683
Granted
May 11, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for providing electro-static discharge (ESD) protection between a first and a second circuit node. One embodiment of the ESD protection circuit includes one or more steering diodes that generate electromagnetic radiation and couple the first circuit node to ground in response to a voltage applied to the first circuit node. The ESD protection circuit also includes a latch circuit that couples the first circuit node to ground in response to the electromagnetic radiation generated by the steering diode(s).

Claims (23)

1. An electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit for deployment between a first part and a second part of a circuit node, comprising:

at least one optical device that generates electromagnetic radiation and couples the first part of a circuit node to ground in response to a voltage applied to the first circuit node; and

a latch circuit that couples the first part of the circuit node to ground in response to the electromagnetic radiation generated by said at least one optical device.

2. The ESD protection circuit set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one optical device comprises a first second steering diode configured so that the first steering diode is forward biased when the voltage applied to the first part of the circuit node exceeds a positive threshold voltage.

3. The ESD protection circuit set forth in claim 2 , wherein said at least one optical device comprises a second steering diode configured so that the second steering diode is forward biased when the voltage applied to the first part of the circuit node is negative.

4. The ESD protection circuit set forth in claim 1 , wherein the latch circuit comprises at least one of a silicon-controlled rectifier, a thyristor, or a transistor that turns on in response to the electromagnetic radiation generated by said at least one optical device.

5. The ESD protection circuit set forth in claim 1 , comprising a photoresistor that provides a triggering signal to the latch circuit in response to the electromagnetic radiation generated by said at least one optical device.

6. The ESD protection circuit set forth in claim 5 , wherein the photoresistor is formed in a portion of a trench.

7. The ESD protection circuit set forth in claim 1 , comprising a photodiode that provides a triggering signal to the latched circuit in response to the electromagnetic radiation generated by said at least one optical device.

8. The ESD protection circuit set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one optical device and the latch circuit are formed on a wafer within a tub that is encompassed by a trench.

9. The ESD protection circuit set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one optical device and the latch circuit are formed on a wafer within different tubs that are separated by a trench.

10. An electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit for deployment between a first part and a second part of a circuit node, comprising:

means for generating electromagnetic radiation and coupling the first part of circuit node to ground in response to a voltage applied to the first part of circuit node; and

means for coupling the first part of circuit node to ground in response to the generated electromagnetic radiation.

11. A method of providing electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit between a first part and a second part of a circuit node, comprising:

generating electromagnetic radiation using at least one optical device and coupling the first part of the circuit node to ground via said at least one optical device in response to a voltage applied to the first part of the circuit node; and

coupling the first circuit node to ground via a latching circuit in response to the electromagnetic radiation generated by said at least one optical device.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising forward biasing a first steering diode in said at least one optical device when the voltage applied to the first part of the circuit node exceeds a positive threshold voltage.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising forward biasing a second steering diode in said at least one optical device when the voltage applied to the first part of the circuit node is negative.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein coupling the first part of the circuit node to ground comprises turning on at least one of a silicon-controlled rectifier, a thyristor, or a transistor in response to the generated electromagnetic radiation.

15. The method of claim 11 , comprising providing a triggering signal in response to the generated electromagnetic radiation, the triggering signal being used to trigger coupling of the first part of the circuit node to ground.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein providing the triggering signal comprises providing the triggering signal using a portion of a trench.

17. The method of claim 11 , comprising providing a triggering signal from a photodiode in response to the generated electromagnetic radiation, the triggering signal being used to trigger coupling of the first part of the circuit node to ground.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2018
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.), INC.; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION; MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; MICROSEMI SOC CORP.; MICROSEMI CORP. - POWER PRODUCTS GROUP; MICROSEMI CORP. - RF INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS
Reel/Frame 046251/0391 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 3, 2016
From: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC. (F/K/A LEGERITY, INC., ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (V.N.) INC., CENTELLAX, INC., AND ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC.); MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION (F/K/A SYMMETRICON, INC.); MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (F/K/A VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION); MICROSEMI SOC CORP. (F/K/A ACTEL CORPORATION); MICROSEMI CORP. - POWER PRODUCTS GROUP (F/K/A ADVANCED POWER TECHNOLOGY INC.); MICROSEMI CORP. - RF INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS (F/K/A AML COMMUNICATIONS, INC.)
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037691/0697 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-ANALOG MIXED SIGNAL GROUP, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SOC CORP., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (F/K/A VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION), A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-MEMORY AND STORAGE SOLUTIONS (F/K/A WHITE ELECTRONIC DESIGNS CORPORATION), AN INDIANA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037558/0711 →
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY Recorded Apr 9, 2015
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA (AS SUCCESSOR TO MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC)
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 035657/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 26, 2013
From: MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC
Reel/Frame 031729/0667 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 18, 2013
From: ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC.
To: MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC.
Reel/Frame 031746/0214 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2008
From: KRUTSICK, THOMAS J.
To: ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (US), INC.
Reel/Frame 020639/0199 →