Patent ID: 8502567
Filing Date: 2013-08-06
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a bipolar transistor comprising an emitter, a base, a collector, wherein the base of the bipolar transistor is configured to receive an input signal; a first junction protection device having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is electrically coupled to the emitter of the bipolar transistor, and wherein the second end is electrically coupled to a node other than the base of the bipolar transistor; a second junction protection device having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is electrically coupled to a voltage reference, and the second end is electrically coupled to the emitter of the bipolar transistor; and a switch configured to control a flow of current through the bipolar transistor, wherein when the switch is in a first state, the bipolar transistor is configured to amplify the input signal, and wherein when the switch is in a second state, the first and second junction protection devices are configured to operate as a voltage divider to control a voltage of the emitter of the bipolar transistor; wherein the first and second junction protection devices have substantially higher leakage currents than the leakage current of a base-emitter junction of the bipolar transistor when each is reverse biased.