Shared Terminal Protection Network for Compact ESD Clamping

Solution Overview

Problem

III-V compound-based electronic devices require individual terminal protection circuits for each terminal, leading to increased circuit complexity and chip area due to vulnerability to high voltage damages like electrostatic discharges (ESD).

Innovation Solution

A terminal protection network is implemented, comprising terminal protection circuits connected to multiple terminals of a primary component and clamping circuits connected to both the primary and auxiliary components, allowing for shared protection among multiple terminals, reducing the need for individual circuits and minimizing chip area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If individual terminal protection circuits are implemented for each terminal of III-V compound-based electronic devices, then reliability against high voltage damages such as ESD is improved, but device complexity and chip area increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against ESDVSAvoidcircuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple terminal protection circuits into a shared protection network. Specifically, the drain terminal protection circuit and source terminal protection circuit are merged into a common structure that protects multiple terminals simultaneously, reducing the total number of discrete protection circuits needed while maintaining comprehensive ESD protection across all terminals of the III-V compound device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a universal terminal protection network that serves multiple terminals through a single integrated structure. The protection circuit is designed to handle ESD events on different terminals (drain, source, gate) through unified protection mechanisms, allowing one protection network to perform the functions that would traditionally require separate dedicated circuits for each terminal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If individual terminal protection circuits are implemented for each terminal of III-V compound-based electronic devices, then reliability against high voltage damages such as ESD is improved, but chip area increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against ESDVSAvoidchip area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple terminal protection circuits into a shared protection network. Specifically, the drain terminal protection circuit and source terminal protection circuit are merged into a common structure that protects multiple terminals simultaneously, reducing the total number of discrete protection circuits needed while maintaining comprehensive ESD protection across all terminals of the III-V compound device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a universal terminal protection network that serves multiple terminals through a single integrated structure. The protection circuit is designed to handle ESD events on different terminals (drain, source, gate) through unified protection mechanisms, allowing one protection network to perform the functions that would traditionally require separate dedicated circuits for each terminal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12176703B2Terminal protection network and electronic device

Publication Date: 2024.12.24 INNOSCIENCE (SUZHOU) SEMICON CO LTD

AI summary

A terminal protection network, which comprises one or more terminal protection circuits (204, 206, 208), each having at least two terminals (T1, T2) connected respectively to at least two of three terminals (T1, T2, T3) of a primary component (202) in the electronic device; and one or more clamping circuits (240_1, . . . , 240_N), each having two terminals (T1, T2) connected respectively to the primary component (202) and a corresponding auxiliary component (220_1, . . . , 220_N) in the electronic device.