Patent ID: 6757148
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
An ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) protection device for an integrated circuit having an input pad, said ESD protection device comprising:a pull-up means connected between a supply potential and a ground potential of said integrated circuit, wherein said pull-up means comprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor device having a source region; a first-level protection means having an input terminal coupled to said input pad and an output terminal coupled to said ground potential, wherein said output terminal of said first-level protection is shared with said source region of said metal-oxide-semiconductor device, said first-level protection means for passing an ESD current from said input pad into said metal-oxide-semiconductor device when said ground potential is floating; and a second-level protection means having a first gate oxide layer on said substrate which is thicker than a second gate oxide layer of said metal-oxide-semiconductor device, said second-level protection means having a first terminal coupled to said input pad and a second terminal coupled to said ground potential.