TVS IC with Common Bus for ESD Energy Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transient voltage suppressors in integrated circuits are limited in their protective capability against electrostatic discharge as all the energy of the discharge is undertaken by a single device, leading to potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A transient voltage suppressing integrated circuit design that includes multiple transient voltage suppressing dies and a common bus, allowing the energy of electrostatic discharge to be shared among the dies, with each die having a diode string and a Zener diode configuration, providing a current path for effective discharge to ground.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single transient voltage suppressor is used to provide protection against electrostatic discharge, then the device structure is simple, but the protective capability is limited because all energy is undertaken by the single device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single transient voltage suppressor into multiple separate dies (first transient voltage suppressing die and second transient voltage suppressing die), each capable of handling a portion of the electrostatic discharge energy. This segmentation increases the total energy handling capability while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through modular design.
2Reliability
If multiple transient voltage suppressing dies are used to share electrostatic discharge energy, then the protective capability is enhanced, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple transient voltage suppressing dies on a single substrate, integrating them into one packaged device. The dies are electrically coupled through the substrate's common bus, creating a unified protective component that handles electrostatic discharge collectively, thereby enhancing reliability without proportionally increasing external complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the dies, establishes electrical connections between them through the common bus, and facilitates heat dissipation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, balancing the increased complexity of having multiple dies with the consolidation of functions.
3Temperature
If a single transient voltage suppressor handles all electrostatic discharge energy, then the device structure is simple, but heat dissipation becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the energy handling function across multiple dies, the heat generation is distributed spatially. Each die dissipates a portion of the thermal energy, preventing localized overheating. The substrate's common bus structure further distributes this thermal load across a larger area, improving overall heat dissipation capability.
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
This design enhances the protective capability against electrostatic discharge by distributing the energy across multiple dies, thereby improving the overall protection and allowing for efficient heat dissipation through the substrate.
Implementation Method 1
the first transient voltage suppressing die includes a diode string and a Zener diode... An anode of the Zener diode is coupled to the first reference ground terminal, and a cathode of the Zener diode is coupled to the power terminal
Implementation Method 2
capable of dispersing an energy of electrostatic discharge... when an electrostatic discharge voltage is presented on an input/output terminal
Data Source
AI summary
A transient voltage suppressing (TVS) integrated circuit includes an input output pin, a ground pin, a substrate, a first TVS die and a second TVS die. The substrate provides a common bus. The first TVS die is disposed on the substrate, and includes a first input output terminal and a first reference ground terminal. The second TVS die is disposed on the substrate and includes a second input output terminal and a second reference ground terminal. The second reference ground terminal is electrically coupled to the first reference ground terminal through the common bus, and the first input output terminal is coupled to the first input out pin, and the second input output terminal is coupled to a ground pin.