Abstract:
A semiconductor die including: a die-to-die interface including an input/output (I/O) circuitry area and an electrical contact area; wherein the electrical contact area includes an array of electrical contacts disposed on a side of the semiconductor die; and wherein the I/O circuitry area includes a plurality of drivers, each of the drivers coupled to at least one electrical contact in the electrical contact area, and a plurality of electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices, each of the ESD protection devices coupled to a respective driver, further wherein the I/O circuitry area and the electrical contact area are separated in a top-down view of the semiconductor die.
Abstract:
A method of protecting a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) differential input/output (I/O) circuit includes detecting an electrostatic discharge event. The method also includes selectively disengaging a power supply terminal from a pair of I/O transistors of the SERDES differential I/O circuit in response to the detected electrostatic discharge event. The method further includes selectively disengaging a ground terminal from the pair of I/O transistors of the SERDES differential I/O circuit in response to the detected electrostatic discharge event.
Abstract:
In an aspect of the disclosure, a MOS device for using bulk cross-coupled thin-oxide decoupling capacitor is provided. The MOS device may include a pMOS transistor and an nMOS transistor. The MOS device may include a first set of transistor body connections adjacent the pMOS transistor and the nMOS transistor. The first set of transistor body connections may couple a first voltage source to the pMOS transistor body. The first set of transistor body connections may further couple a second voltage source to the nMOS transistor body. The MOS device may include a second set of transistor body connections adjacent the pMOS transistor and the nMOS transistor. The second set of transistor body connections may couple the nMOS transistor gate to the pMOS transistor body. The second set of transistor body connections may further couple the pMOS transistor gate to the nMOS transistor body.
Abstract:
A system interconnect includes a first resistor-capacitor (RC) clamp having a first RC time constant. The system interconnect also includes second RC clamps having a second RC time constant. The first and second RC clamps are arranged along the system interconnect. In addition, the first RC time constant is different from the second RC time constant.
Abstract:
Techniques for reducing leakage current during normal operation of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit are described herein. In one embodiment, a circuit comprises an internal circuit and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) rail clamp coupled in parallel to the internal circuit and between first and second power supply rails. The ESD rail clamp is operable to shunt ESD current from the first power supply rail to the second power supply rail via a low resistance shunt path. The ESD rail clamp comprises an ESD trigger circuit configured to detect an ESD event and a plurality of discharging transistors coupled in series. The ESD trigger circuit is configured to turn off the discharging transistors during normal operation and to turn on the discharging transistors to form the low resistance shunt path in response to detection of the ESD event.
Abstract:
An ESD protection circuit has a driver transistor with a drain that is coupled to an I/O pad of an IC device and a source that is coupled to a first rail of a power supply in the IC device, and a diode that couples the I/O pad to the first rail and that is configured to be reverse-biased when a rated voltage is applied to the I/O pad. The rated voltage lies within a nominal operating range for voltage levels defined for the input/output pad. The ESD protection circuit has a gate pull transistor that couples a gate of the driver transistor to the I/O pad or the first rail. The gate pull transistor may be configured to present a high impedance path between the gate of the driver transistor and the I/O pad or the first rail when the rated voltage is applied to the I/O pad. The gate pull transistor may be configured to provide a low impedance path between the gate of the driver transistor and the I/O pad or the first rail when an overvoltage signal applied to the I/O pad has a magnitude that exceeds the nominal operating range of voltage levels defined for the I/O pad.
Abstract:
A semiconductor die including: a die-to-die interface including an input/output (I/O) circuitry area and an electrical contact area; wherein the electrical contact area includes an array of electrical contacts disposed on a side of the semiconductor die; and wherein the I/O circuitry area includes a plurality of drivers, each of the drivers coupled to at least one electrical contact in the electrical contact area, and a plurality of electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices, each of the ESD protection devices coupled to a respective driver, further wherein the I/O circuitry area and the electrical contact area are separated in a top-down view of the semiconductor die.
Abstract:
In a particular embodiment, a circuit includes a power supply, a ground, and a clamping transistor circuit coupled to the power supply and to the ground. The circuit further includes a disable clamp circuit. The disable clamp circuit is coupled to the power supply and is responsive to a second power supply input to selectively disable the clamping transistor circuit by modifying a charging current applied to a capacitor of the clamping transistor circuit. In a particular embodiment, modifying the charging current includes enabling a second charging path. Enabling the second charging path enables charging the capacitor at a higher charging rate than a charging rate associated with charging the capacitor via a first charging path.
Abstract:
In a particular embodiment, a circuit includes a power supply, a ground, and a clamping transistor circuit coupled to the power supply and to the ground. The circuit further includes a disable clamp circuit. The disable clamp circuit is coupled to the power supply and is responsive to a second power supply input to selectively disable the clamping transistor circuit by modifying a charging current applied to a capacitor of the clamping transistor circuit. In a particular embodiment, modifying the charging current includes enabling a second charging path. Enabling the second charging path enables charging the capacitor at a higher charging rate than a charging rate associated with charging the capacitor via a first charging path.