Adaptive ESD Clamp Trigger Circuit for Wide Supply Voltages

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ESD clamp control circuits are limited to a narrow range of supply voltages, causing compatibility issues when different supply voltages are used in electronic systems, leading to potential false triggering and excessive leakage currents.

Innovation Solution

Adaptable ESD trigger circuits with multiple stages and depletion-mode MOS devices to manage a wide range of supply voltages, ensuring efficient operation and minimal leakage currents across varying voltage inputs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If existing ESD clamp control circuits are used, then ESD protection is provided, but they are limited to a narrow range of supply voltages causing compatibility issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupply voltage compatibilityVSAvoidfalse triggering and excessive leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ESD clamp control circuit dynamically adjusts its operation based on the supply voltage level. The circuit transitions between different operational states (triggering threshold, leakage current) depending on whether the supply voltage is high or low, enabling adaptation to various voltage conditions while maintaining reliable ESD protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit changes its electrical parameters (triggering voltage threshold, leakage current characteristics) based on the supply voltage conditions. By monitoring the supply voltage and adjusting these parameters accordingly, the circuit achieves compatibility across a wide voltage range without false triggering or excessive leakage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If ESD clamp control circuits operate with lower supply voltages to facilitate higher interface speeds, then interface speed is improved, but leakage currents increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface speedVSAvoidleakage current

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The control circuit dynamically adapts its leakage current characteristics based on the supply voltage. When operating at lower supply voltages for high-speed interfaces, the circuit adjusts to minimize leakage current, and when operating at higher voltages, it allows for higher leakage tolerance, thus optimizing performance across different speed requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit preemptively counteracts the increase in leakage current that would normally occur at lower supply voltages by implementing compensatory mechanisms within the control logic, thereby maintaining low leakage operation even when optimized for high interface speeds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Loss of energy

If ESD clamp control circuits operate with higher supply voltages associated with lower interface speeds, then leakage currents are reduced, but interface speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleakage currentVSAvoidinterface speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit dynamically balances the trade-off between leakage current and interface speed by adjusting its operation based on supply voltage. At higher supply voltages where leakage is naturally lower, the circuit optimizes for reliable ESD protection while maintaining adequate interface speed through adaptive threshold adjustment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Stability of the object's composition

If discharge pathways are provided to sink current flowing into control nodes during non-ESD operation, then voltage stability is improved, but current sinking capacity is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol node voltage stabilityVSAvoidcurrent sinking capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge pathways are designed to provide partial current sinking capacity sufficient for maintaining voltage stability during normal operation, while the ESD clamp device provides excessive current sinking capacity when needed for ESD events. This staged approach ensures voltage stability without requiring the discharge pathways to handle full ESD current levels

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables a common ESD trigger circuit design to function effectively with supply voltages ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 volts without significant leakage, providing reliable ESD protection across different electronic products.

Implementation Method 1

discharge pathways connected to control nodes of ESD clamp control circuits, with the discharge pathways having limited capacity to sink current

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic Discharge: Electrostatic Discharge

Data Source

PatentUS20250212527A1Adaptable electrostatic discharge clamp trigger circuit

Publication Date: 2025.06.26 SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

An apparatus includes one or more circuits configured to control an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) clamp device. The one or more circuits include a Resistor-Capacitor (RC) delay portion, a pull-up device, a pull-down device and a discharge pathway. The RC delay portion is configured to control the pull-up device. The pull-up device is connected to a control node of the pull-down device to control the pull-down device. The pull-down device is configured to control the ESD clamp device. The discharge pathway is connected to the control node of the pull-down device to discharge the control node in non-ESD conditions.