IP Library Granted Patent US 10,700,057
Granted Patent B1
US 10,700,057 · App. 16/245,913 · Granted Jun 30, 2020

Double-integrated silicon control rectifier transistor and related methods

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,700,057
App. No.
16/245,913
Granted
Jun 30, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include an ESD robust transistor with a compound-SCR protection. The transistor may include a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, a drain region coupled with the semiconductor substrate having a drain SCR component with a first drain region of the first conductivity type and a second drain region of the second conductivity type. The transistor may also include a source coupled with the semiconductor substrate, a channel region of the second conductivity type, and a gate coupled with the channel region having SCR components with a first gate region of the first conductivity type and a second gate region of the second conductivity type. The drain SCR components and the gate SCR components may create a low resistance discharge path along the channel region that activates in response to the ESD such that the ESD discharges through the transistor without causing damage to the transistor.

Claims (36)

1. An ESD robust transistor with a compound-SCR protection, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate comprising a first conductivity type;

a drain region coupled with the semiconductor substrate comprising a drain SCR component comprising a first drain region of the first conductivity type and a second drain region of the second conductivity type;

a source coupled with the semiconductor substrate;

a channel region of the second conductivity type;

a gate coupled with the channel region comprising SCR components comprising a first gate region of the first conductivity type and a second gate region of the second conductivity type; and

wherein the drain SCR components and the gate SCR components create a low resistance discharge path along the channel region that activates in response to the ESD such that the ESD discharges through the transistor without causing damage to the transistor.

2. The transistor of claim 1 , comprising a body coupled with the semiconductor substrate and comprising body SCR components comprising a first body region of the first conductivity type, a second body region of the second conductivity type.

3. The transistor of claim 2 , wherein the drain SCR components and the body SCR components create a low resistance discharge path along the substrate that activates in response to the ESD such that the ESD discharges through the transistor without causing damage to the transistor.

4. The transistor of claim 2 , wherein the drain SCR components are a common anode for the low resistance discharge path along the channel region and a low resistance discharge path along the substrate.

5. The transistor of claim 2 , comprising a third body region of the first conductivity type.

6. The transistor of claim 5 , comprising a metal layer on top of two or more of the first body region, the second body region, and the third body region.

7. The transistor of claim 1 , comprising a conducting electrode over the drain region and wherein the conducting electrode covers a portion of the first drain region and a portion of the second drain region without covering all of the second region.

8. The transistor of claim 1 , comprising a conducting electrode over the gate region and wherein the conducting electrode covers a portion of the first gate region and a portion of the second gate region without covering all of the second region.

9. The transistor of claim 1 , comprising a resistor field plate located above the channel region.

10. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the transistor comprises a stadium shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a horseshoe shape, or a rectangular shape.

11. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the transistor comprises an junction field effect transistor (JFET) having a voltage rating between 200 V and 1500 V.

12. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein transistor comprises an electrostatic discharge rating that is greater than 4.0 kV according to the human body model.

13. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the first conductivity type comprises P type conductivity.

14. An ESD robust transistor, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;

a drain coupled with the semiconductor substrate comprising drain SCR components;

a channel region of the second conductivity type;

a gate coupled with the channel region comprising gate SCR components;

a body coupled with the semiconductor substrate comprising body SCR components; and

wherein the drain SCR components are a common anode for a low resistance discharge path along the channel region to the gate SCR components and a low resistance discharge path along the substrate to the body SCR components.

15. The transistor of claim 11 , comprising a resistor field plate located above a channel region.

16. The transistor of claim 11 , wherein the transistor comprises a junction field effect transistor (JFET) having a voltage rating between 200 V and 1500 V and a shape comprising a stadium shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a horseshoe shape, or a rectangular shape.

17. The transistor of claim 11 , wherein the first conductivity type comprises P type conductivity.

18. A method of forming a transistor with compound silicon control rectifier (SCR) comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;

providing a drain coupled with the semiconductor substrate comprising a drain SCR component comprising a first drain region of the first conductivity type and a second drain region of the second conductivity type;

providing a gate coupled with a semiconductor channel between the drain and a source, wherein the gate comprises a gate SCR component comprising a first gate region of the first conductivity type and a second gate region of the second conductivity type; and

providing a channel region of the second conductivity type, wherein the drain SCR and the gate SCR lower a resistance of the semiconductor substrate and the channel region in response to the ESD such that the ESD passes through the transistor without damaging the transistor.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising providing a body coupled with the semiconductor substrate comprising a body SCR component comprising a first body region of the first conductivity type and a second body region of the second conductivity type.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising salicidizing a layer of silicon to provide a conducting electrode, wherein the conducting electrode covers all of the second drain region and only part of the first drain region.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL 049473, FRAME 0932 Recorded Aug 17, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064618/0721 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2019
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049473/0932 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2019
From: GRISWOLD, MARK; ELHAMI KHORASANI, ARASH
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 047970/0103 →