Semiconductor integrated circuit device with electrostatic damage protection

TLDR: In this paper, the authors present an asymmetric channel structure of the peripheral transistor, where the gap between the source contact and the gate electrode is set shorter than the distance between the drain contact and gate electrode, and a gate contact is electrically connected between a gate electrode and a metal gate line.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a peripheral transistor having a strengthened ESD resistance for external connection. The peripheral transistor has a channel structure effective to release an electrostatic stress current more efficiently than an internal transistor of the semiconductor integrated circuit. In one embodiment, the peripheral transistor has a channel portion that is shorter than the channel portion of an internal transistor. In another embodiment, the peripheral transistor has a substrate contact, a ground line, and an additional resistor interconnection between them to efficiently release an electrostatic stress current. In another embodiment, the peripheral transistor has an asymmetric channel structure so that the distance between the source contact and the gate electrode is set shorter than the distance between the drain contact and the gate electrode. In another embodiment, the peripheral transistor has a drain region and a gate insulating film having a portion of the insulating film that is thinner than the rest of the gate insulating film. In another embodiment, a gate contact is electrically connected between a gate electrode and a metal gate line of the peripheral transistor to reduce a resistance therebetween. In another embodiment, the peripheral transistor has a transistor breakdown voltage that is smaller than a gate breakdown voltage to efficiently release electrostatic stress current.