Design and characterization of a novel high voltage power supply ESD protection

The paper presents a high voltage power supply ESD protection element containing a high voltage VDMOS which is designed to survive bipolar snapback. For low currents, it operates as an "active clamp", and for high currents, the parasitic vertical bipolar transistor conducts the current. The snapback current level is higher than 250 mA for (transient) latch-up safety during normal operation.