IP Library Granted Patent US 8,525,266
Granted Patent B2
US 8,525,266 · App. 13/407,575 · Granted Sep 3, 2013

Semiconductor body having a terminal cell

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,525,266
App. No.
13/407,575
Granted
Sep 3, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor body comprising a first connection for feeding an upper supply potential and a first and a second terminal cell, which are situated at a distance from each other. The semiconductor body further comprises an arrester structure, which is arranged between the first and second terminal cells in a p-doped substrate. The arrester structure comprises a first and a second p-channel field-effect transistor structure, each of which is set in a respective n-doped well substantially parallel to the first and second terminal cells, and a diode structure with a p-doped region set in a further n-doped well between the n-doped wells of the first and second p-channel field-effect transistor structures. The diode structure is designed to activate the first and second p-channel field-effect transistor structure as arrester elements during an electrostatic discharge in the semiconductor body.

Claims (38)

1. A semiconductor body having a first terminal for feeding an upper supply potential and having a first and a second terminal cell, which are formed at a distance from each other, additionally comprising an arrester structure, which is formed between the first and the second terminal cell in a p-doped substrate, the arrester structure comprising:

a first and a second p-channel field-effect transistor structure, which are formed in the relevant n-doped wells essentially parallel to the first and second terminal cell; and

a diode structure, which is formed with a p-doped region in an additional n-doped well between the n-doped wells of the first and the second p-channel field-effect transistor structure, wherein the diode structure is configured to activate the first and the second p-channel field-effect transistor structure as arrester elements if there is an electrostatic discharge in the semiconductor body.

2. The semiconductor body as in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second terminal cell are formed so that the first and the second terminal cell each comprise:

a terminal surface;

the first terminal;

a second terminal for feeding of a lower supply potential;

a p-channel field-effect transistor structure formed in the semiconductor body, which structure has a p-doped first sensor region at a distance from its drain region; and

an n-channel field-effect transistor structure formed in the semiconductor body, which structure has an n-doped second sensor region formed at a distance from its drain region;

wherein in the p-channel field-effect transistor structure, the drain region is electrically connected to the terminal surface, a source region is electrically connected to the first terminal, and the first sensor region is electrically connected via a first resistance element to the second terminal and is directly electrically connected to a gate terminal of the n-channel field-effect transistor structure;

wherein in the n-channel field-effect transistor structure, the drain region is electrically connected to the terminal surface, a source region is electrically connected to the second terminal, and the second sensor region is electrically connected via a second resistance element to the first terminal and is directly electrically connected to a gate terminal of the p-channel field-effect transistor structure; and

wherein the semiconductor body comprises the p-doped substrate, in which the p-channel field-effect transistor structure and the n-channel field-effect transistor structure are formed.

3. The semiconductor body as in claim 2 ,

wherein the first sensor region and the drain region of the p-channel field-effect transistor structure as well as a region lying between them form a pnp bipolar structure.

4. The semiconductor body as in claim 2 ,

wherein the first sensor region and the drain region of the n-channel field-effect transistor structure as well as a region lying between them form a npn bipolar structure.

5. The semiconductor body as in claim 2 ,

wherein the p-channel field-effect transistor structure is made in a first n-doped well within the substrate, wherein the associated drain region and the associated source region are each made as p-doped regions within the first n-doped well and the first n-doped well is electrically connected to the first terminal.

6. The semiconductor body as in claim 5 ,

wherein the first sensor region is formed within the substrate, wherein the first sensor region is more heavily p-doped than the substrate.

7. The semiconductor body as in claim 5 ,

wherein the first sensor region is formed within the first n-doped well.

8. The semiconductor body as in claim 5 ,

wherein the first sensor region is arranged parallel to and at a distance from the drain region of the p-channel field-effect transistor structure.

9. The semiconductor body as in claim 5 ,

wherein the first sensor region is arranged at least partially in an arch running around the drain region and the source region of the p-channel field-effect transistor structure.

10. The semiconductor body as in claim 2 , wherein the n-channel field-effect transistor structure is formed in a second n-doped well within the substrate, wherein the drain region of the n-channel field-effect transistor structure is formed as an n-doped region within the second n-doped well and is more heavily n-doped than the second n-doped well

wherein the source region of the n-channel field-effect transistor structure is formed in a p-doped well within the second n-doped well;

wherein the p-doped well is electrically connected to the second terminal; and

wherein the second sensor region is arranged at a distance from the second n-doped well.

11. The semiconductor body as in claim 10 ,

wherein the second sensor region is arranged parallel to and at a distance from the second n-doped well.

12. The semiconductor body as in claim 10 ,

wherein the second sensor region is arranged at least partially in an arch running around the second n-doped well.

13. The semiconductor body as in claim 1 ,

wherein the additional n-doped well is electrically connected via a third resistance element to the first terminal and is directly electrically connected to gate terminals of the first and second p-channel field-effect transistor structure.

14. The semiconductor body as in claim 1 , wherein the p-doped region of the diode structure is connected to the second terminal.

15. The semiconductor body as in claim 1 , wherein the relevant p-doped wells of the first and the second p-channel field-effect transistor structure are electrically connected to the first terminal.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 16, 2013
From: AUSTRIAMICROSYSTEMS AG
To: AMS AG
Reel/Frame 030228/0326 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2012
From: REINPRECHT, WOLFGANG; ROGER, FREDERIC
To: AUSTRIAMICROSYSTEMS AG
Reel/Frame 028164/0641 →