Patent ID: 7110232
Filing Date: 2006-09-19
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor circuit in a semiconductor substrate, comprising: a first input for feeding a first supply potential; a second input for feeding a second supply potential higher than the first supply potential; a device; an output; a parasitic pn-junction between the device and the semiconductor substrate, which is conductive when the output is at a first polarizing potential smaller than the first supply potential or when the output is at a second polarizing potential greater than the second supply potential; and a protective circuit connected between the output and the pn-junction, and whose electric resistance at the first polarizing potential at the output and at the second polarizing potential at the output, respectively, is higher than at a normal operation potential at the output lying between the first supply potential and the second supply potential; wherein the semiconductor substrate is a p-doped semiconductor substrate and the protective circuit includes a pJFET, or wherein the semiconductor substrate is an n-doped semiconductor substrate and the protective circuit includes an nJFET.