Investigation of LOCOS- and Polysilicon-Bound Diodes for Robust Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Applications

In this paper, the current-carrying and voltage-clamping capabilities of LOCal Oxidation of Silicon (LOCOS)- and polysilicon-bound diodes are first investigated. Comparison of these capabilities leads to the conclusion that the polysilicon-bound diode is more suited for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection applications. Then, to achieve an optimal diode structure for ESD applications, the effects of the cathode/anode length, cathode/anode width, polysilicon width, finger number, terminal connection, and metal layout on the polysilicon-bound diode's ESD robustness are studied and discussed in detail.