New dual-direction ESD device in Si-Ge BiCMOS process

Conventional solutions for dual-direction ESD protection have drawbacks in layout area (stacked unidirectional ESD clamps) and in process technology scaling (SCR-based solutions). To provide scalable protection, a new device architecture, based on a novel merged-collector dual-direction BJT-based ESD clamp, is proposed and successfully implemented in a 0.13 μm BiCMOS process.