The present disclosure relates to a novel neuron circuit using a p-n-p-n diode to realize small size and low power consumption. The neuron circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may generate potential by charging current input from synapses through a capacitor. In this case, when the generated potential exceeds a critical value, the neuron circuit may generate and output a spike voltage corresponding to the generated potential using a p-n-p-n diode connected to the capacitor.

The disclosed technology generally relates to ferroelectric materials and semiconductor devices, and more particularly to semiconductor memory devices incorporating doped polar materials. In one aspect, a semiconductor device comprises a capacitor which in turn comprises a polar layer comprising a base polar material doped with a dopant. The base polar material includes one or more metal elements and one or both of oxygen or nitrogen. The dopant comprises a metal element that is different from the one or more metal elements and is present at a concentration such that a ferroelectric switching voltage of the capacitor is different from that of the capacitor having the base polar material without being doped with the dopant by more than about 100 mV. The capacitor stack additionally comprises first and second crystalline conductive oxide electrodes on opposing sides of the polar layer. The capacitor stack further comprises first and second barrier metal layers on respective ones of the first and second crystalline conductive oxide electrodes on opposing sides of the polar layer.

Electrical overstress protection for electronic systems subject to electromagnetic compatibility fault conditions are provided herein. In certain implementations, a stacked thyristor protection structure with a high holding voltage includes a protection device having a trigger voltage and a holding voltage. A trigger voltage of the stacked thyristor protection structure is substantially equal to the trigger voltage of the protection device. The stacked thyristor protection structure further includes at least one resistive thyristor electrically connected to the protection device and operable to increase a holding voltage of the stacked thyristor protection structure relative to the holding voltage of the protection device. The at least one resistive thyristor comprising a PNP bipolar transistor and a NPN bipolar transistor that are cross-coupled, and a conductor connecting a collector of the PNP bipolar transistor to a collector of the NPN bipolar transistor.

A capacitive discharge unit for a fireset for initiating a fuzing event to detonate an explosive material. The capacitive discharge unit includes a capacitor for storing a voltage, and a silicon carbide thyristor for switching from a high to a low impedance state in response to a triggering pulse, which results in electrical current flowing from the capacitor to the fuzing load. The fireset may further include a controller for providing the triggering pulse to the silicon carbide thyristor. The capacitor stores between 500 V and 1200 V, and the silicon carbide thyristor has a rise time of between 78 ns and 141 ns. The capacitive discharge unit may further include a silicon carbide diode, in the form of a reverse current blocking diode or a Schottkey diode, functioning as a shunt to prevent a reverse current from passing through the switching silicon carbide thyristor.

A semiconductor device of electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is provided, including a deep N-type region, disposed in a substrate; a deep P-type region, disposed in the substrate; a first P-type well, disposed in the deep N-type region; a first N-type well, abutting to the first P-type well, disposed in the deep N-type region. Further, a second P-type well abutting to the first N-type well is disposed in the deep P-type region. A second N-type well abutting to the second P-type well is disposed in the deep P-type region. A side N-type well is disposed in the deep N-type region at an outer side of the first P-type well. A side P-type well is disposed in the deep P-type region at an outer side of the second N-type well.

A semiconductor device of ESD protection includes a first P-type well in a substrate to receive a protected terminal and a first N-type well abutting the first P-type well in the substrate. A second P-type well abutting the first N-type well is in the substrate. A second N-type well abutting the second P-type well is in the substrate. A detective circuit device is formed on a surface of the substrate, having an input terminal to receive the protected terminal and an output terminal to provide a trigger voltage to the first N-type well. A first route structure is in the substrate, on a sidewall and a bottom of the first P-type well to connect to a bottom of the first N-type well. A second route structure is in the substrate, on sidewall and bottom of the second N-type well, to connect to a bottom of the second P-type well.

A transient voltage suppression device including a substrate of a first conductivity type, a first well of a second conductivity type, a first anode, a first cathode, and a first trigger node is provided. The first well is disposed in the substrate. The first anode is disposed in the substrate outside the first well and includes a second doped region of the second conductivity type and a third doped region of the first conductivity type disposed between the second doped region and the first doped region. The first trigger node is disposed between the first anode and the first cathode, and includes a fourth region of the first conductivity type disposed in the substrate and a fifth doped region of the second conductivity type at least partially disposed in the first well and disposed between the fourth doped region and the third doped region.

A silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) includes a semiconductor body including a first main surface and an active device region. First through fourth surface contact areas at the first main surface are arranged directly one after another along a lateral direction. The semiconductor body is electrically contacted at each surface contact area. First and third SCR regions of a first conductivity type directly adjoin the first and third surface contact areas, respectively. Second and fourth SCR regions of a second conductivity type directly adjoin the second and fourth surface contact areas, respectively. The second SCR region at least partially overlaps a first well region of the first conductivity type at the first main surface. The first SCR region at most partially overlaps the first well region at the first main surface, and is electrically connected to the second SCR region. The third SCR region is electrically connected to the fourth SCR region.

A semiconductor die with high-voltage tolerant electrical overstress circuit architecture is disclosed. One embodiment of the semiconductor die includes a signal pad, a ground pad, a core circuit electrically connected to the signal pad, and a stacked thyristor protection device. The stacked thyristor includes a first thyristor and a resistive thyristor electrically connected in a stack between the signal pad and the ground pad, which enhances the holding voltage of the circuit relatively to an implementation with only the thyristor. Further, the resistive thyristor includes a PNP bipolar transistor and a NPN bipolar transistor that are cross-coupled, and an electrical connection between a collector of the PNP bipolar transistor and a collector of the NPN bipolar transistor. This allows the resistive thyristor to exhibit both thyristor characteristics and resistive characteristics based on a level of current flow.

A silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) includes a semiconductor body including a first main surface, an active device region, a first, a second, a third and a fourth surface contact area at the first main surface and arranged directly one after another along a first lateral direction, wherein the semiconductor body is electrically contacted at each of the first to fourth surface contact areas, and a first, a second, a third and a fourth SCR region, wherein the first and third SCR regions are of a first conductivity type and directly adjoin the first and third surface contact areas, respectively, and wherein the second and fourth SCR regions are of a second conductivity type and directly adjoin the second and fourth surface contact areas, respectively, wherein the first SCR region is electrically connected to the fourth SCR region, and the second SCR region is electrically connected to the third SCR region.