IP Library Granted Patent US 8,093,683
Granted Patent B2
US 8,093,683 · App. 12/204,565 · Granted Jan 10, 2012

Semiconductor device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,093,683
App. No.
12/204,565
Granted
Jan 10, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention is directed to providing a technique for increasing a hold voltage of an electrostatic breakdown protection device having a bipolar transistor structure more than conventional and reducing the size of the device. A base region (a P impurity layer) is formed on a front surface of an epitaxial layer, an emitter region (an N+ impurity layer) is formed on the front surface of the P impurity layer, and the epitaxial layer and an N+ impurity layer form a collector region. A connected portion of a base electrode and the base region (the P impurity layer) is located between the end of the base region (the P impurity layer) on a collector electrode side and the emitter region (the N+ impurity layer). It means that the electrodes for the collector, the base and the emitter are formed in this order. The base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected through a wiring (not shown). A P+ isolation layer for dividing the epitaxial layer into a plurality of island regions is further formed.

Claims (36)

1. A protection device for a semiconductor circuit, comprising:

a semiconductor layer of a first general conductive type;

a collector region comprising a portion of the semiconductor layer and an impurity region of the first general conductive type formed in the semiconductor layer and having an impurity concentration higher than an impurity concentration of the semiconductor layer;

a base region of a second general conductive type formed in the semiconductor layer;

an emitter region of the first general conductive type formed in the base region;

a collector electrode in contact with the collector region;

a base electrode in contact with the base region; and

an emitter electrode in contact with the emitter region,

wherein the base electrode is connected to the emitter electrode, and a portion of the base region that is in contact with the base electrode is disposed between the impurity region and the emitter region so that the base electrode is between the emitter electrode and the collector electrode.

2. A protection device for a semiconductor circuit, comprising:

a semiconductor layer of a first general conductive type;

a collector region comprising a portion of the semiconductor layer and an impurity region of the first general conductive type formed in the semiconductor layer and having an impurity concentration higher than an impurity concentration of the semiconductor layer;

a base region of a second general conductive type formed in the semiconductor layer;

an emitter region of the first general conductive type formed in the base region;

a collector electrode in contact with the collector region;

a base electrode in contact with the base region;

an emitter electrode in contact with the emitter region;

an isolation layer of the second general conductive type formed in the semiconductor layer so as to isolate the collector region, the base region and the emitter region as a bipolar transistor; and

a substrate potential fixing electrode connected to the isolation layer,

wherein the base electrode is connected to the emitter electrode,

a portion of the base region that is in contact with the base electrode is disposed between the impurity region and the emitter region, and

the substrate potential fixing electrode is in contact with the isolation layer surrounding the bipolar transistor.

3. The protection device of claim 2 , wherein the substrate potential fixing electrode is connected to the base electrode and the emitter electrode.

4. The protection device of claim 1 , further comprising a first wiring connecting an input terminal and a circuit formed on the semiconductor layer and a second wiring supplying a power supply voltage or a ground voltage, wherein the collector electrode is connected to the input terminal or the first wiring, and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the second wiring.

5. The protection device of claim 2 , further comprising a first wiring connecting an input terminal and a circuit formed on the semiconductor layer and a second wiring supplying a power supply voltage or a ground voltage, wherein the collector electrode is connected to the input terminal or the first wiring, and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the second wiring.

6. The protection device of claim 3 , further comprising a first wiring connecting an input terminal and a circuit formed on the semiconductor layer and a second wiring supplying a power supply voltage or a ground voltage, wherein the collector electrode is connected to the input terminal or the first wiring, and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the second wiring.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a first wiring connecting an input terminal and a circuit formed on the semiconductor layer, a second wiring supplying a power supply voltage and a third wiring supplying a ground voltage,

wherein the collector electrode is connected to the first wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the third wiring, alternatively the collector electrode is connected to the second wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the first wiring.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , further comprising a first wiring connecting an input terminal and a circuit formed on the semiconductor layer, a second wiring supplying a power supply voltage and a third wiring supplying a ground voltage,

wherein the collector electrode is connected to the first wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the third wiring, alternatively the collector electrode is connected to the second wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the first wiring.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 3 , further comprising a first wiring connecting an input terminal and a circuit formed on the semiconductor layer, a second wiring supplying a power supply voltage and a third wiring supplying a ground voltage,

wherein the collector electrode is connected to the first wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the third wiring, alternatively the collector electrode is connected to the second wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the first wiring.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply wiring supplying a power supply voltage and a ground wiring supplying a ground voltage, wherein the collector electrode is connected to the power supply wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the ground wiring.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , further comprising a power supply wiring supplying a power supply voltage and a ground wiring supplying a ground voltage, wherein the collector electrode is connected to the power supply wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the ground wiring.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 3 , further comprising a power supply wiring supplying a power supply voltage and a ground wiring supplying a ground voltage, wherein the collector electrode is connected to the power supply wiring and the base electrode and the emitter electrode are connected to the ground wiring.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the emitter region and a lateral edge of the base region closest to the impurity region is larger than a distance between the impurity region and the lateral edge of the base region.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 038620, FRAME 0087 Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064070/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER 5859768 AND TO RECITE COLLATERAL AGENT ROLE OF RECEIVING PARTY IN THE SECURITY INTEREST PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038620 FRAME 0087. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 25, 2016
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 039853/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2016
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 038620/0087 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 033813 FRAME: 0420. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 21, 2015
From: SYSTEM SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 034816/0510 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2014
From: SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD
To: SYSTEM SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034537/0044 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2014
From: SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 033813/0420 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT #12/577882 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 026594 FRAME 0385. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 6, 2014
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 032836/0342 →