Patent ID: 8334571
Filing Date: 2012-12-18
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device, comprising: a substrate of a first semiconductor type; a first well of a second semiconductor type formed in the substrate; a first plurality of elongate laterally spaced doped regions of the first semiconductor type formed in an upper surface of the first well, the first plurality of laterally spaced doped regions coupled together to define an anode of the ESD protection device; a second plurality of elongate laterally spaced doped regions of the second semiconductor type formed in the upper surface of the first well, the second plurality of laterally spaced doped regions coupled together to define a cathode of the ESD protection device; and a plurality of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions disposed in an upper surface of the first well, each of the plurality of STI regions disposed between an elongate laterally spaced doped region of the first semiconductor type and a second elongate laterally spaced doped region of the second semiconductor type, wherein each of the first and second pluralities of laterally spaced doped regions have respective lengths that extend in a first direction that is orthogonal to a second direction in which the first and second pluralities of doped regions extend laterally and have respective widths that extend parallel to the second direction, wherein the ESD protection device has a length that extends in the second direction and that is greater than a width that extends in the first direction, and wherein a diode defined by the first well and the first plurality of laterally spaced doped regions of the first semiconductor type is configured to operate as a passive radio frequency capacitor when reverse biased and to be forward biased to provide a current bypass when an ESD voltage spike is received at one of the anode or the cathode.