Patent ID: 8711532

Claim:
An integrated circuit including a circuit-building substrate, the integrated circuit comprising: a conductive structure, supported by the circuit-building substrate, including a metal track, and a diffusion-protector configured and arranged to lessen diffusion relative to the structure of the metal track, wherein the metal track is surrounded by and in contact with a first layer and a second layer of the diffusion-protector, wherein the first layer is deposited on the circuit-building substrate, the metal track covers the first layer, and the second layer covers the metal track; an input terminal configured and arranged to present an input power-based signal to a first portion of the metal track; an output terminal configured and arranged to pass an output power-based signal ensuing from the input power-based signal, to a second portion of the metal track; and a voltage-surge circuit configured and arranged to pass the output power-based signal to a reference terminal in response to a voltage of the output power-based signal exceeding a voltage-threshold level associated with the circuit, whereby in response to a voltage surge exceeding the voltage-threshold level, the voltage-surge circuit is adapted to limit voltage levels supplied to electric circuitry connected at the output terminal by either shorting via the reference terminal or blocking with the metal track adapted to be sacrificed for over-current protection.