Fast SCR structure for ESD protection

1. A semiconductor device for protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD), the device comprising:

a substrate, the substrate being a semiconductor of a first conductivity type;

a lightly-doped epitaxial layer on the substrate with an intervening heavily-doped buried layer in at least one region, the epitaxial layer and buried layer having a second conductivity type different than the first; and

a semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR) structure within said at least one region, the SCR structure including, between a ground terminal and a pad terminal:

a first shallow region heavily-doped to be of the first conductivity type within a first well moderately-doped to be of the second conductivity type, the first shallow region and first well forming an emitter-base junction of a trigger transistor;

a second shallow region heavily-doped to be of the second conductivity type within a second well moderately-doped to be of the first conductivity type, the second shallow region and second well forming an emitter-base junction of a latching transistor, wherein the first and second wells are separated by a lightly-doped portion of the epitaxial layer;

a PN junction coupled to either the first or second shallow region as a series diode that is forward-biased for current flow from the pad terminal to the ground terminal to increase a holding voltage of the SCR structure; and

a third well moderately-doped to be of the first conductivity type, the third well interposed between the second well and the lightly-doped portion of the epitaxial layer to enhance a holding current of the device.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one region is laterally bounded by one or more isolation trenches that extend through the buried layer to reach the substrate.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein a junction between the buried layer and the substrate serves as a Zener diode reverse-biased between the base of the trigger transistor and the substrate.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the PN junction is formed by a third shallow region heavily-doped to be of the first conductivity type within a second portion of the epitaxial layer, the third shallow region being connected to the pad terminal, and wherein the second portion is coupled to the first shallow region by a conductive trace between the first shallow region and a fourth shallow region heavily doped to be of the second conductivity type.

5. The device of claim 4 , further comprising an isolation trench between the first shallow region and the fourth shallow region, the isolation trench extending through the first well and the buried layer to reach the substrate.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the SCR structure further includes a fifth shallow region heavily doped to be of the second conductivity type within the first well to serve as a trigger node, wherein the trigger node is coupled to a trigger element.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the trigger element comprises a low-voltage punch-through (LVPT) device coupled between the trigger node and the ground terminal.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein a junction between the buried layer and the substrate serves as a first Zener diode reverse-biased between the base of the trigger transistor and the substrate, and wherein the trigger element comprises a second Zener diode having a breakdown voltage smaller than that of the first Zener diode.

9. The device of claim 6 , wherein the trigger element is formed within a separate region of the lightly-doped epitaxial layer having an intervening buried layer with the substrate and bounded by one or more isolation trenches that extend through the buried layer to the substrate.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductivity type is p-type and second conductivity type is n-type.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductivity type is n-type and second conductivity type is p-type.

12. A method of providing improved ESD protection to a line that carries a line voltage and current, the method comprising:

providing a reverse-biased diode that conducts if the line voltage falls below a ground terminal voltage; and

providing an SCR structure that remains OFF until the line voltage exceeds a trigger voltage at which point it switches ON to clamp the line voltage at a snapback voltage below the trigger voltage, resetting only after the line current falls below a holding current or the line voltage falls below a holding voltage, the SCR structure providing a fast switching response with an ultra-low input capacitance and elevated holding voltage by way of a forward-biased diode in series with:

a first shallow region heavily-doped to be of a first conductivity type within a first well moderately-doped to be of the second conductivity type, the first shallow region and first well forming an emitter-base junction of a trigger transistor;

a second shallow region heavily-doped to be of the second conductivity type within a second well moderately-doped to be of the first conductivity type, the second shallow region and second well forming an emitter-base junction of a latching transistor; and

an interposed epitaxial layer region lightly-doped to be of the first or second conductivity type and having a length of no more than five micrometers.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the interposed epitaxial layer region has a length of less than two micrometers.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

including an integrated trigger element with the SCR structure, the trigger element being coupled to a fifth shallow region heavily doped to be of the second conductivity type within the first well.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the trigger element provides a reduced trigger voltage by way of a low-voltage punch-through (LVPT) device coupled between the fifth shallow region and the ground terminal.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the interposed epitaxial layer is buffered from a heavily-doped substrate of a first conductivity type by a buried layer heavily-doped to be of a second conductivity type, the junction between the buried layer and the substrate serving as a first Zener diode reverse-biased between the base of the trigger transistor and the substrate, and wherein the trigger element comprises a second Zener diode having a breakdown voltage smaller than that of the first Zener diode.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the SCR structure further provides an elevated holding current by way of a third well moderately-doped to be of the first conductivity type, the third well interposed between the second well and the interposed epitaxial layer region, the interposed epitaxial layer region lightly-doped to be of the second conductivity type.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first conductivity type is p-type and second conductivity type is n-type.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first conductivity type is n-type and second conductivity type is p-type.