Minimizing Multiple Triggering Effect in Diode-Triggered Silicon-Controlled Rectifiers for ESD Protection Applications

The diode-triggered silicon-controlled rectifier (DTSCR) is frequently used for low-voltage electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection applications, but such a device can exhibit two snapbacks and consequently can possess an undesirable large trigger voltage. This letter investigates the mechanism underlying the DTSCR's multiple triggering. An improved DTSCR for reducing the second trigger voltage and increasing the ESD safe margin is proposed and verified in a 65-nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process. The improved DTSCR's turn-on characteristic is also discussed.