Journal of IKEEE (전기전자학회논문지)

Institute of Korean Electrical and Electronics Engineers (한국전기전자학회)
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A Study on PMOS Embedded ESD Protection circuit with Improved Robustness for High Voltage Applications.

향상된 감내특성을 갖는 PMOS 삽입형 고전압용 ESD 보호회로에 관한 연구

  • Received : 2017.09.11
  • Accepted : 2017.09.25
  • Published : 2017.09.30
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Abstract

In this paper, we propose an ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) protection circuit based on a new structure of SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier) embedded with PMOS structure. The proposed ESD protection circuit has a built-in PMOS structure and has a latch-up immunity characteristic and an improved tolerance characteristic. To verify the characteristics of the proposed ESD protection circuit and to analyze its operating characteristics, we compared and analyzed the characteristics of the existing ESD protection circuit using TCAD simulation. Simulation results show that the proposed protection ESD protection circuit has superior latch-up immunity characteristics like the existing SCR-based ESD protection device HHVSCR (High Holding Voltage SCR). Also, according to the results of the HBM (Human Body Model) maximum temperature test, the proposed ESD protection circuit has a maximum temperature value of 355K, which is about 20K lower than the existing HHVSCR 373K. In addition, the proposed ESD protection circuit with improved electrical characteristics is designed by applying N-STACK technology. As a result of the simulation, the proposed ESD protection circuit has a holding voltage characteristic of 2.5V in a single structure, and the holding voltage increased to 2-STACK 4.2V, 3-STACK 6.3V, 4-STACK 9.1V.

본 논문에서는 PMOS 구조를 삽입한 새로운 구조의 SCR(Silicon Controlled Rectifier)기반 ESD(Electrostatic Discharge) 보호소자를 제안한다. 제안된 ESD 보호회로는 내부에 PMOS가 추가적으로 형성된 구조적 특징을 지니며, Latch-up 면역 특성과 향상된 감내특성을 갖는다. TCAD 시뮬레이션을 이용하여 기존의 ESD 보호회로와 특성을 비교 분석하였다. 시뮬레이션 분석 결과, 제안된 보호 ESD 보호회로는 기존 SCR 기반 ESD 보호소자 HHVSCR(High Holding Voltage SCR)과 같은 우수한 Latch-up 면역 특성을 지닌다. 또한 HBM(Human Body Model) 최대온도 테스트 결과에 따르면, 제안된 ESD 보호회로는 355K의 최대온도 수치를 가지며, 이는 기존 HHVSCR의 373K와 비교하여 대략 20K가량 낮은 온도특성으로, 더욱 향상된 감내특성을 갖는 것으로 확인되었다. 제안된 ESD 보호소자는 N-STACK 기술을 적용하여 설계하여 전압별 적용이 가능함을 시뮬레이션을 통하여 검증하였다. 시뮬레이터로 시뮬레이션을 해본 결과, 제안된 ESD 보호회로는 단일 구조에서 2.5V의 홀딩전압 특성을 지니며, N배수의 증배에 따라 2-STACK 4.2V, 3-STACK 6.3V, 4-STACK 9.1V로 증가된 홀딩전압을 갖는 것을 확인하였다.

Keywords

References

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