Improved protection circuits are provided for use as
voltage overload protection circuits, ESD protection circuits for RF input pins, and unit protection cells for distributed amplifiers. Preferably, the protection circuits include a positive
threshold voltage trigger used to trigger a switch wherein the trigger includes a
diode string in series with a
resistor and the switch includes a bipolar
transistor switch in series with a single reverse
diode. Alternatively, the trigger includes a
diode string in series with a single diode and a single
resistor, and is used to trigger a Darlington pair
transistor switch in series with a single reverse diode. In another embodiment, a Darlington pair
transistor switch is triggered by a
capacitor. In use with distributive amplifiers, the ESD protection circuits are preferably absorbed inside the artificial transmission lines of the
distributed amplifier.