Semiconductor device and methods of formation

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device that includes a plurality of non-contiguous implant portions that are spaced apart with respective well regions between the non-contiguous implant portions in a substrate of the semiconductor device. The space between the non-contiguous implant portions provides areas in the substrate in which dopants from the non-contiguous implant portions may diffuse. Thus, the dopants can diffuse into the substrate across a greater area of the substrate than in a source / drain region including continuous implant portions. As a result, the dopant concentration from the implant portions may be reduced in the substrate. This reduces the build-up and concentration of dopants near a gate structure, which reduces the strength of the electric field near the gate structure. The reduced strength of the electric field near the gate structure lessens the damage caused to the ESD protection device across multiple ESD events.

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