ESD Discharge Circuit With Boosted Detection and Stable Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can cause permanent damage to electronic components, affecting circuit function and reducing the yield of electronic products during manufacturing, packaging, testing, storing, or moving of chips.
Innovation Solution
An electrical discharge circuit comprising a voltage-dividing circuit, detection circuit, inverters, RC circuit, switch circuits, and discharge transistors that quickly detect voltage variations and ensure stable discharging without exceeding component withstand voltages, using internal configurations to maintain discharge activity and avoid RC circuit limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional RC circuits are used for voltage detection, then the circuit structure is simple, but the response speed is slow and discharge time cannot be maintained long enough
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage detection function is divided into multiple stages: voltage-dividing circuit for initial voltage reduction, detection circuit for signal generation, and two cascaded inverters for signal processing. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, achieving fast response while maintaining manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a detection circuit as an intermediary between the voltage-dividing circuit and the discharge transistors. This detection circuit generates detection signals that trigger the discharge operation, mediating between voltage detection and discharge activation to achieve rapid response without requiring direct RC circuit timing.
2Reliability
If voltage-dividing circuit and detection circuit are added to improve response speed, then response speed increases, but circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage-dividing circuit serves multiple functions: it reduces input voltage to safe levels for detection, provides voltage scaling for the detection circuit, and establishes the detection threshold. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, maintaining reliability while controlling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage-dividing circuit performs preliminary voltage reduction and the detection circuit performs preliminary signal generation before the actual discharge operation. This preliminary action ensures that when ESD occurs, the discharge transistors are already primed and can activate immediately, improving reliability without requiring complex real-time control circuits.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If discharge transistors are activated quickly to protect components, then protection effectiveness increases, but risk of exceeding withstand voltage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage-dividing circuit is configured to reduce the input voltage to a level below the withstand voltage of subsequent circuit components before the discharge operation begins. This preliminary voltage reduction ensures that even when discharge transistors activate quickly for effective ESD protection, the voltage throughout the circuit remains within safe limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection circuit acts as an intermediary that monitors the divided voltage and only triggers discharge when the voltage exceeds the detection threshold but remains below the withstand voltage. This mediation ensures discharge activation is timely for protection while preventing voltage exceedance that could damage components.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses an electrical discharge circuit. A voltage-dividing circuit performs voltage division on a voltage input terminal. A detection circuit generates a boosted detection signal. A first inverter is coupled to a first voltage feeding terminal and a second inverter input terminal. A second inverter is coupled to a first inverter output terminal and a ground terminal. A capacitor circuit of a RC circuit is coupled to the first voltage feeding terminal through a resistor to be charged to provide electric charges to the inverter input terminals. A first switch circuit is coupled to one of the inverter input terminals and the ground terminal. The boosted detection signal turns on and off the first and the second switch circuits respectively when an ESD input occurs such that a first and a second discharge transistors controlled by the inverter output terminals turn on to discharge the voltage input terminal.