A Novel Multi-RC-Triggered Power Clamp Circuit for On-Chip ESD Protection

Abstract

In order to promote the electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection robustness of power clamp circuits, a circuit structure which has different turn-on and turn-off paths towards clamp transistor is used in our proposed novel multi-RC-triggered power clamp circuit. The proposed circuit uses CR structure as the ESD pulse detection component. Meanwhile, it also employs a nontraditional phase inverter in the turn-on path of clamp transistor. Simulation results show that the proposed circuit has long enough turn-on time of clamp transistor. And the ability of the proposed circuit to discharge static charges during an ESD event is notably enhanced through simulation. The clamp transistor would be automatically turned off after the fixed time delay in the turn-off path even if it is falsely triggered. The proposed circuit has simpler circuit structure while maintaining long enough turn-on time of clamp transistor, thus providing higher ESD protection robustness.