Electrostatic Discharge Protection Circuits Across Power Domains

Abstract

The invention proposes a cross-power-domain electrostatic discharge protection circuit including: a first current path switch which is connected in parallel to a first circuit and is turned off when afirst node voltage is at a logic high level, a first node which is used for providing the first node voltage, a first resistor element which is coupled between a first power terminal and the first node, a first metal oxide semiconductor capacitor which is coupled between the first node and a first fixed-voltage terminal, a second current path switch which is connected in parallel to a second circuit and controlled by a second node voltage, a switch control circuit which is used for providing the second node voltage, and a node voltage control circuit which is set to control the magnitude of the first node voltage according to the second node voltage in order to ensure that the first current path switch is maintained in a turn-off state when the first power terminal supplies power to the first circuit and a second power terminal supplies power to the second circuit.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to an electrostatic discharge protection circuit, in particular to an electrostatic discharge protection circuit across power domains. Background technique [0002] In integrated circuits, electrostatic discharge protection circuits are often connected in parallel with other circuits to provide a discharge path in parallel with other circuits. In order to reduce the circuit area, the capacitors used in traditional ESD protection circuits are mostly realized by MOS capacitors. [0003] However, in many advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes, metal oxide semiconductor capacitors are prone to gate leakage problems due to the thinner and thinner gate oxide layers. In this way, it may cause the ESD protection circuit to malfunction during the normal operation of other circuits, and cause the integrated circuit to malfunction or fail to operate normally. Contents of the invention [0004] In view of this, how to effectively ...

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Problems solved by technology

[0003] However, in many advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes, metal oxide semiconductor capacitors are prone to gate leakage problems due to the thinner and thinner gate oxide layers.

In this way, it may cause the electrostatic discharge protection circuit to malfunction during the normal operation of other circuits, causing the integrated circuit to malfunction or fail to operate normally.

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