Patent ID: 7728349
Filing Date: 2010-06-01
Classification: H01L,H03K

Abstract:
1. A silicon rectifier semiconductor device for providing electrostatic discharge protection to a circuit element of an integrated circuit, comprising: a first well region of a first conductivity type formed within a semiconductor body; a first region of the first conductivity type formed within the first well region; a second region of a second conductivity type formed within the first well region and connected to a terminal of the circuit element to be protected; a second well region of the second conductivity type formed within the semiconductor body adjacent to the first well region; a third region of the first conductivity type formed within the second well region and connected to a reference potential terminal; a fourth region of the second conductivity type formed within the second well region and connected to the reference potential terminal; and a trigger element connected to the first region and the second terminal for setting a base trigger voltage and a base holding voltage; the first and second well regions and the first, second, third and fourth regions being relatively dimensioned and configured so that application of a voltage difference between the first and second terminals of at least the base trigger voltage level will switch the silicon rectifier semiconductor device from a deactivated state to an activated state to flow current from the first terminal to the second terminal, and the activated state will be maintained until the voltage difference falls below the base holding voltage.