Patent ID: 6347026
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
An input and power protection circuit for protecting an integrated circuit from an overvoltage, the input and power protection circuit comprising:a first terminal and a second terminal; an electrical element connected between the first terminal and an inter-transistor node; a first transistor connected between the inter-transistor node and the second terminal, the first transistor having a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a source terminal, where each of the gate terminal, the drain terminal, and the source terminal have salicided contacts for providing low resistance contact to the first transistor and which also reduce a snap-back trigger current that can be conducted through the first transistor without causing a high joule heating condition in the first transistor, the gate terminal connected to the second terminal, the drain terminal connected to the inter-transistor node, and the source terminal connected to the second terminal, and a bipolar transistor having a base terminal connected to the inter-transistor node, an emitter terminal connected to the first terminal, and a collector terminal connected to the second terminal, where each of the base terminal, the emitter terminal, and the collector terminal have salicided contacts for providing low resistance contact to the bipolar transistor, the bipolar transistor for conducting a majority of the overvoltage between the first terminal and the second terminal, and thereby preventing the first transistor from reaching the high joule heating condition.