An electrostatic discharge (ESD) device is disclosed having two PNP transistors. During a high-voltage ESD event a parasitic NPN transistor couples to one of the two PNP transistors to provide ESD protection.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a silicon-controlled-rectifier (SCR). The SCR includes a longitudinal silicon fin extending between an anode and a cathode and including a junction region there between. One or more first transverse fins traverses the longitudinal fin at one or more respective tapping points positioned between the anode and the junction region. Other devices and methods are also disclosed.

A semiconductor device comprising a substrate is disclosed. The substrate comprises: a well of type one; a first doped region of type two, provided in the well of type one; a well of type two, adjacent to the well of type one; a first doped region of type one, doped in the well of type two; and a second doped region of type two, provided in the well of type one and the well of type two, not touching the first doped region of type two. The substrate comprises no isolating material provided in a current path formed by the first doped region of type two, the well of type one, the well of type two and the first doped region of type one.

In an embodiment, an ESD protection circuit may include a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) and a diode sharing a PN junction and forming a bi-directional ESD circuit. The single PN junction may reduce the capacitive load on the pin, which may allow the high speed circuit to meet its performance goals. In an embodiment, a floating P-well contact may be placed between two neighboring SCRs, to control triggering of the SCRs.

A silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) includes a first-type field, a second-type first field and a second-type second field disconnectedly formed in a first-type well; an entire first-type doped region formed within the first-type field; a segmented second-type doped region formed within the second-type first field; and a segmented first-type doped region formed within the second-type second field.

An electrostatic discharge robust semiconductor transistor (transistor) includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a substrate contact region of the first conductivity type coupled with the semiconductor substrate, a source region of a second conductivity type, a channel region of the second conductivity type, a gate region of the first conductivity type, a drain region having a first drain region of the first conductivity type and a second drain region of the second conductivity type, and an electrical conductor coupled over the second drain region and a portion of the first drain region. A portion of the first drain region not covered by the electrical conductor forms a resistive electrical ballast region configured to protect the transistor from electrostatic discharge (ESD) induced voltage pulses. In implementations the transistor includes a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) junction field effect transistor (SCR JFET) or a laterally diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (SCR LDMOS).

An ultra-low capacitance ESD protection device with an ultra-fast response time and a low turn-on voltage, and a high holding current. The device may include: a heavily-doped p-type substrate; a lightly-doped n-type epitaxial layer with a heavily-doped n-type buried layer; and a semiconductor-controlled rectifier (SCR) structure within the epitaxial layer. The SCR structure includes, between a ground terminal and a pad terminal: a shallow P+ region within a moderately-doped n-type well to form an emitter-base junction of a trigger transistor; a shallow N+ region within a moderately-doped p-type well to form an emitter-base junction of a latching transistor, and a PN junction coupled to either of the shallow regions as a forward-biased series diode. To reduce capacitance, the n-type and p-type wells are separated by a lightly-doped portion of the epitaxial layer having a small lateral dimension for enhanced switching speed.

A semiconductor device and device arrangement including a plurality of semiconductor regions of different conductivity types and a plurality of gates which form electrically conducting paths between the semiconductor regions. The semiconductor device and device arrangement may be configured to protect against electrostatic discharge.

In the disclosure, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is coupled between a first power rail and a second power rail to discharge any ESD stress. The ESD protection circuit includes a detection circuit, a triggering circuit, and a dual silicon controlled rectifier (DSCR) device. When an ESD stresses is being applied to the first or second power rail, the detection circuit may first detect the ESD stresses and output a detection signal to the triggering circuit. The triggering circuit generates a triggering signal based on the detection signal and the polarity of the ESD stress. Then, the DSCR device is symmetrically triggered based on the triggering signal received at a common node between at least two transistors of the same type. The exemplary ESD protection circuit may be implemented in nanoscale manufactured integrated circuit and achieve good ESD robustness while maintaining low standby leakage current and relatively small silicon footprint.

The invention provides a semiconductor device layout structure disposed in an active region. The semiconductor device layout structure includes a first well region having a first conduction type. A second well region having a second conduction type opposite the first conduction type is disposed adjacent to and enclosing the first well region. A first doped region having the second conduction type is disposed within the first well region. A second doped region having the second conduction type is disposed within the first well region. The second doped region is separated from and surrounds the first doped region. A third doped region having the second conduction type is disposed within the second well region.