Post-Si Programmable ESD Protection Circuit Design: Mechanisms and Analysis

This paper reports new mechanisms, design, and analysis of novel electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection solutions, which enable post-Si field-programmable ESD protection circuit design for the first time. Two new ESD protection concepts, nano-crystal quantum-dot (NC-QD) and silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS)-based ESD protection, are presented. Experiments validated the two new programmable ESD protection mechanisms. Prototype designs demonstrated a wide adjustable ESD triggering voltage (V-t1) range of Delta Vt(1) similar to 2 V, very fast response (t(1)) to ESD transients of rising time t(r) similar to 100 pS and pulse duration t(d) similar to 1 nS, ESD protection capability (I-t2) of at least 25 mA/mu m for human body model (HBM) and 400 mA/mu m for charged device model (CDM) equivalent stressing, and very low leakage current (I-leak) as low as 1.2 pA. Field-programmable ESD protection circuit design examples are discussed.Engineering, Electrical & ElectronicSCI(E)EICPCI-S(ISTP)