Post-Si Programmable ESD Protection Circuit Design: Mechanisms and Analysis

This paper reports new mechanisms, design, and analysis of novel electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection solutions, which enable post-Si field-programmable ESD protection circuit design for the first time. Two new ESD protection concepts, nano-crystal quantum-dot (NC-QD) and silicon–oxide–nitride–oxide–silicon (SONOS)-based ESD protection, are presented. Experiments validated the two new programmable ESD protection mechanisms. Prototype designs demonstrated a wide adjustable ESD triggering voltage
$({V}_{{t}1})$
range of
$\Delta{V}_{{t}1}\sim \hbox{ 2 V}$
, very fast response
$({t}_{1})$
to ESD transients of rising time
${t}_{r}\sim \hbox{ 100 pS}$
and pulse duration
${t}_{d}\sim \hbox{ 1 nS}$
, ESD protection capability
$({I}_{{t}2})$
of at least 25
$\hbox{mA}/\mu\hbox{m}$
for human body model (HBM) and 400
$\hbox{mA}/\mu\hbox{m}$
for charged device model (CDM) equivalent stressing, and very low leakage current
$({I}_{\rm leak})$
as low as 1.2 pA. Field-programmable ESD protection circuit design examples are discussed.