A transient voltage suppressor (TVS) circuit includes a P-N junction diode and a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) formed integrated in a lateral device structure of a semiconductor layer. The lateral device structure includes multiple fingers of semiconductor regions arranged laterally along a first direction on a major surface of the semiconductor layer, defining current conducting regions between the fingers. The current paths for the SCR and the P-N junction diode are formed in each current conducting region but the current path for the SCR is predominantly separated from the current path for the P-N junction diode in each current conducting region in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction on the major surface of the semiconductor layer. The TVS device of the present invention realizes low capacitance at the protected node. The TVS device is suitable for protecting data pins of an integrated circuit, especially when the data pins are used in high speed applications.

Transient voltage suppressor (tvs) with improved clamping voltage and a method of suppressing the snapback of a circuit

Low capacitance transient voltage suppressor

This invention discloses an electronic device formed as an integrated circuit (IC) wherein the electronic device further includes a transient voltage suppressing (TVS) circuit. The TVS circuit includes a triggering Zener diode connected between an emitter and a collector of a bipolar-junction transistor (BJT) wherein the Zener diode having a reverse breakdown voltage BV less than or equal to a BVceo of the BJT where BVceo stands for a collector to emitter breakdown voltage with base left open. The TVS circuit further includes a rectifier connected in parallel to the BJT for triggering a rectified current through the rectifier for further limiting an increase of a reverse blocking voltage. In a preferred embodiment, the triggering Zener diode, the BJT and the rectifier are formed in a semiconductor substrate by implanting and configuring dopant regions of a first and a second conductivity types in a N-well and a P-well whereby the TVS can be formed in parallel as part of the manufacturing processes of the electronic device.

Transient voltage suppressor (tvs) with improved clamping voltage and a method of suppressing the snapback of a circuit

Citations

Low capacitance transient voltage suppressor

References

Circuit configurations to reduce snapback of a transient voltage suppressor

Kickback voltage restraining circuit

Related Papers (5)

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