Design Characterization And Analysis Of Component Level Electrostatic Discharge Esd Protection Solutions

To enable predicting the ESD performance of IC's pins that are directly exposed to a system-level stress condition, a new the human metal model (HMM) test model has been introduced. In this work, a new testing methodology for product-level HMM characterization is introduced. This testing framework allows for consistently identifying ESD-induced failures in a product, substantially simplifying the testing process, and significantly reducing the product evaluation time during development cycle. It helps eliminates the potential inaccuracy provided by the conventional characterization methodology. For verification purposes, this method has been applied to detect the failures of two different products. Addition to the exploration of new characterization methodology that provides better accuracy, we also have looked into the protection devices itself. ICs for emerging high performance precision data acquisition and transceivers in industrial, automotive and wireless infrastructure applications require effective and ESD protection solutions. These circuits, with relatively high operating voltages at the Input/Output (I/O) pins, are increasingly being designed in low voltage Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technologies to meet the requirements of low cost and large scale integration. A new dual-polarity SCR optimized for high bidirectional blocking voltages, high trigger current and low capacitance is realized in a sub 3-V, 180-nm CMOS process. This ESD device is designed for a specific application where the operating voltage at the I/O is larger than that of the core circuit. For instance, protecting high voltage swing I/Os in CMOS data acquisition system (DAS) applications.

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is a significant hazard to electronic components and systems. Based on a specific processing technology, a given circuit application requires a customized ESD consideration that includes the devices' operating voltage, leakage current, breakdown constraints, and footprint. As new technology nodes mature every 3-5 years, design of effective ESD protection solutions has become more and more challenging due to the narrowed design window, elevated electric field and current density, as well as new failure mechanisms that are not well understood. The endeavor of this research is to develop novel, effective and robust ESD protection solutions for both emerging technologies and modern complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technologies. The Si nanowire field-effect transistors are projected by the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors as promising next-generation CMOS devices due to their superior DC and RF performances, as well as ease of fabrication in existing Silicon processing. Aiming at proposing ESD protection solutions for nanowire based circuits, the dimension parameters, fabrication process, and layout dependency of such devices under Human Body Mode (HBM) ESD stresses are studied experimentally in company with failure analysis revealing the failure mechanism induced by ESD. The findings, including design methodologies, failure mechanism, and technology comparisons should provide practical knowhow of the development of ESD protection schemes for the nanowire based integrated circuits. Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) are the basic elements for the emerging flexible, printable, large-area, and low-cost organic electronic circuits. Although there are plentiful studies focusing on the DC stress induced reliability degradation, the operation mechanism of OTFTs subject to ESD is not yet available in the literature and are urgently needed before the organic technology can be pushed into consumer market. In this work, the ESD operation mechanism of OTFT depending on gate biasing condition and dimension parameters are investigated by extensive characterization and thorough evaluation. The device degradation evolution and failure mechanism under ESD are also investigated by specially designed experiments. In addition to the exploration of ESD protection solutions in emerging technologies, efforts have also been placed in the design and analysis of a major ESD protection device, diode-triggered-silicon-controlled-rectifier (DTSCR), in modern CMOS technology (90nm bulk). On the one hand, a new type DTSCR having bi-directional conduction capability, optimized design window, high HBM robustness and low parasitic capacitance are developed utilizing the combination of a bi-directional silicon-controlled-rectifier and bi-directional diode strings. On the other hand, the HBM and Charged Device Mode (CDM) ESD robustness of DTSCRs using four typical layout topologies are compared and analyzed in terms of trigger voltage, holding voltage, failure current density, turn-on time, and overshoot voltage. The advantages and drawbacks of each layout are summarized and those offering the best overall performance are suggested at the end.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is one of the most prevalent threats to electronic components. In an ESD event, a finite amount of charge is transferred from one object (i.e., human body) to another (i.e., microchip). This process can result in a very high current passing through the microchip within a very short period of time. Thus, more than 35 percent of single-event chip damages can be attributed to ESD events, and designing ESD structures to protect integrated circuits against the ESD stresses is a high priority in the semiconductor industry. Electrostatic Discharge Protection: Advances and Applications delivers timely coverage of component- and system-level ESD protection for semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. Bringing together contributions from internationally respected researchers and engineers with expertise in ESD design, optimization, modeling, simulation, and characterization, this book bridges the gap between theory and practice to offer valuable insight into the state of the art of ESD protection. Amply illustrated with tables, figures, and case studies, the text: Instills a deeper understanding of ESD events and ESD protection design principles Examines vital processes including Si CMOS, Si BCD, Si SOI, and GaN technologies Addresses important aspects pertinent to the modeling and simulation of ESD protection solutions Electrostatic Discharge Protection: Advances and Applications provides a single source for cutting-edge information vital to the research and development of effective, robust ESD protection solutions for semiconductor devices and integrated circuits.

Electrostatic Discharge is a pervasive issue in the semiconductor industry affecting both manufacturers and users of semiconductors. This easy-to-read, practical handbook presents an overview of ESD as it effects electronic circuits and provides a concise introduction for students, engineers, circuit designers and failure analysts.

This book addresses key aspects of analog integrated circuits and systems design related to system level electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. It is an invaluable reference for anyone developing systems-on-chip (SoC) and systems-on-package (SoP), integrated with system-level ESD protection. The book focuses on both the design of semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) components with embedded, on-chip system level protection and IC-system co-design. The readers will be enabled to bring the system level ESD protection solutions to the level of integrated circuits, thereby reducing or completely eliminating the need for additional, discrete components on the printed circuit board (PCB) and meeting system-level ESD requirements. The authors take a systematic approach, based on IC-system ESD protection co-design. A detailed description of the available IC-level ESD testing methods is provided, together with a discussion of the correlation between IC-level and system-level ESD testing methods. The IC-level ESD protection design is demonstrated with representative case studies which are analyzed with various numerical simulations and ESD testing. The overall methodology for IC-system ESD co-design is presented as a step-by-step procedure that involves both ESD testing and numerical simulations.

An effective and cost efficient protection of electronic system against ESD stress pulses specified by IEC 61000-4-2 is paramount for any system design. This pioneering book presents the collective knowledge of system designers and system testing experts and state-of-the-art techniques for achieving efficient system-level ESD protection, with minimum impact on the system performance. All categories of system failures ranging from 'hard' to 'soft' types are considered to review simulation and tool applications that can be used. The principal focus of System Level ESD Co-Design is defining and establishing the importance of co-design efforts from both IC supplier and system builder perspectives. ESD designers often face challenges in meeting customers' system-level ESD requirements and, therefore, a clear understanding of the techniques presented here will facilitate effective simulation approaches leading to better solutions without compromising system performance. With contributions from Robert Ashton, Jeffrey Dunnihoo, Micheal Hopkins, Pratik Maheshwari, David Pomerenke, Wolfgang Reinprecht, and Matti Usumaki, readers benefit from hands-on experience and in-depth knowledge in topics ranging from ESD design and the physics of system ESD phenomena to tools and techniques to address soft failures and strategies to design ESD-robust systems that include mobile and automotive applications. The first dedicated resource to system-level ESD co-design, this is an essential reference for industry ESD designers, system builders, IC suppliers and customers and also Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Key features: Clarifies the concept of system level ESD protection. Introduces a co-design approach for ESD robust systems. Details soft and hard ESD fail mechanisms. Detailed protection strategies for both mobile and automotive applications. Explains simulation tools and methodology for system level ESD co-design and overviews available test methods and standards. Highlights economic benefits of system ESD co-design.

An authoritative single-volume reference on the design and analysis of ESD protection for ICs Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a major reliability challenge to semiconductors, integrated circuits (ICs), and microelectronic systems. On-chip ESD protection is a vital to any electronic products, such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices. Practical ESD Protection Design provides comprehensive and systematic guidance on all major aspects of designs of on-chip ESD protection for integrated circuits (ICs). Written for students and practicing engineers alike, this one-stop resource covers essential theories, hands-on design skills, computer-aided design (CAD) methods, characterization and analysis techniques, and more on ESD protection designs. Detailed chapters examine an array of topics ranging from fundamental to advanced, including ESD phenomena, ESD failure analysis, ESD testing models, ESD protection devices and circuits, ESD design layout and technology effects, ESD design flows and co-design methods, ESD modelling and CAD techniques, and future ESD protection concepts. Based on the author’s decades of design, research and teaching experiences, Practical ESD Protection Design: • Features numerous real-world ESD protection design examples • Emphasizes on ESD protection design techniques and procedures • Describes ESD-IC co-design methodology for high-performance mixed-signal ICs and broadband radio-frequency (RF) ICs • Discusses CAD-based ESD protection design optimization and prediction using both Technology and Electrical Computer-Aided Design (TCAD/ECAD) simulation • Addresses new ESD CAD algorithms and tools for full-chip ESD physical design verification • Explores the disruptive future outlook of ESD protection Practical ESD Protection Design is a valuable reference for industrial engineers and academic researchers in the field, and an excellent textbook for electronic engineering courses in semiconductor microelectronics and integrated circuit designs.

Failures caused by electrostatic discharges (ESD) constitute a major problem concerning the reliability and robustness of integrated circuits and electronic systems. This book summarizes the many diverse methodologies aimed at ESD protection and shows, through a number of concrete studies, that the best approach in terms of robustness and cost-effectiveness consists of implementing a global strategy of ESD protection. ESD Protection Methodologies begins by exploring the various normalized test techniques that are used to qualify ESD robustness as well as characterization and defect localization methods aimed at implementing corrective measures. Due to the increasing complexity of integrated circuits, it is important to be able to provide a simulation in which the implemented ESD protection strategy provides the desired protection, while not harming the performance levels of the circuit. Therefore, the main features and difficulties related to the different types of simulation, finite element, SPICE-type and behavioral, are then studied. To conclude, several case studies are presented which provide real-life examples of the approaches explained in the previous chapters and validate a number of the strategies from component to system level. Provides a global ESD protection approach from component to system, including both the proposal of investigation techniques and predictive simulation methodologies Addresses circuit and system designers as well as failure analysis engineers Provides the description of specifically developed investigation techniques and the application of the proposed methodologies to real case studies

A practical and comprehensive reference that explores Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) in semiconductor components and electronic systems The ESD Handbook offers a comprehensive reference that explores topics relevant to ESD design in semiconductor components and explores ESD in various systems. Electrostatic discharge is a common problem in the semiconductor environment and this reference fills a gap in the literature by discussing ESD protection. Written by a noted expert on the topic, the text offers a topic-by-topic reference that includes illustrative figures, discussions, and drawings. The handbook covers a wide-range of topics including ESD in manufacturing (garments, wrist straps, and shoes); ESD Testing; ESD device physics; ESD semiconductor process effects; ESD failure mechanisms; ESD circuits in different technologies (CMOS, Bipolar, etc.); ESD circuit types (Pin, Power, Pin-to-Pin, etc.); and much more. In addition, the text includes a glossary, index, tables, illustrations, and a variety of case studies. Contains a well-organized reference that provides a quick review on a range of ESD topics Fills the gap in the current literature by providing information from purely scientific and physical aspects to practical applications Offers information in clear and accessible terms Written by the accomplished author of the popular ESD book series Written for technicians, operators, engineers, circuit designers, and failure analysis engineers, The ESD Handbook contains an accessible reference to ESD design and ESD systems.