Patent ID: 8982516
Filing Date: 2015-03-17
Classification: H01L,H02H

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: providing an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure in an integrated circuit formed from a semiconductor body having a substrate region of a first conductivity type wherein the ESD protection structure comprises: (a) a first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type in which is formed a first contact region of the first conductivity type and a second contact region of a second, opposite conductivity type, where the first and second contact regions are connected to a first grounded terminal and where the first semiconductor region is sized to contain the first and second contact regions; (b) a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type in which is formed a third contact region of a first conductivity type without including any contact region of the second conductivity type, where the third contact region is connected to a second terminal and where the second semiconductor region is sized to contain the third contact region but not any additional contact region; and (c) an electrically floating third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type continuous with the first and second semiconductor regions so as to surround and separate the first and second semiconductor regions; and applying a positive voltage between the second terminal and the first grounded terminal of the integrated circuit.