Abstract: An electro-optical device includes first and second substrates that are bonded to each other, the first substrate having an extended portion extended from the second substrate on a first side thereof in plan view, a plurality of pixel units that are disposed in a pixel region on the first substrate and individually have pixel electrodes, a data line driving circuit that is disposed along the first side in a peripheral region around the pixel region so as to supply an image signal to the pixel units, a plurality of external circuit connecting terminals that are arranged along the first side in a region of the peripheral region on the extended portion, an image signal line that is relayed around the data line driving circuit from the plurality of external circuit connecting terminals and has a first wiring line portion wired in a direction along the first side between the data line driving circuit and the pixel region, and a sealant that bonds the first and second substrates to each other in a sealing region ar

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device with adjustable single-trigger or multi-trigger voltage is provided. The semiconductor structure has multi-stage protection semiconductor circuit function and adjustable discharge capacity. The single-trigger or multi-trigger semiconductor structure may be fabricated by using the conventional semiconductor process, and can be applied to IC semiconductor design and to effectively protect the important semiconductor devices and to prevent the semiconductor devices from ESD damage. In particular, the present invention can meet the requirements of high power semiconductor device and has better protection function compared to conventional ESD protection circuit. In the present invention, a plurality of N-wells or P-wells connected in parallel are used to adjust the discharge capacity of various wells in the P-substrate so as to improve the ESD protection capability and meet different power standards.

Abstract: An ESD protection circuit including a substrate of a first conductivity type, an annular well region of a second conductivity type, two first regions of the first conductivity type and at least one transistor of the second conductivity type is provided. The annular well region is disposed in the substrate. The first regions are disposed in the substrate and surrounded by the annular well region. The at least one transistor is disposed on the substrate between the first regions and including a source, a gate, and a drain. The annular well region and the drain are coupled to a first voltage source. The source and one of the first regions are coupled to a second voltage source, and the other of the first regions is coupled to a substrate triggering circuit.

Abstract: A technique to enhancing substrate bias of grounded-gate NMOS fingers (ggNMOSFET's) has been developed. By using this technique, lower triggering voltage of NMOS fingers can be achieved without degrading ESD protection in negative zapping. By introducing a simple gate-coupled effect and a PMOSFET triggering source with this technique, low-voltage triggered NMOS fingers have also been developed in power and I/O ESD protection, respectively. A semiconductor device which includes a P-well which is underneath NMOS fingers. The device includes an N-well ring which is configured so that the inner P-well underneath the NMOS fingers is separated from an outer P-well. The inner P-well and outer P-well are connected by a P-substrate resistance which is much higher than the resistance of the P-wells. A P+-diffusion ring surrounding the N-well ring is configured to connect to VSS, i.e., P-taps.

Abstract: ESD protection devices without current crowding effect at the finger's ends. It is applied under MM ESD stress in sub-quarter-micron CMOS technology. The ESD discharging current path in the NMOS or PMOS device structure is changed by the proposed new structures, therefore the MM ESD level of the NMOS and PMOS can be significantly improved. In this invention, 6 kinds of new structures are provided. The current crowding problem can be successfully solved, and have a higher MM ESD robustness. Moreover, these novel devices will not degrade the HBM ESD level and are widely used in ESD protection circuits.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method is disclosed. One embodiment provides an active region in a semiconductor substrate, including a first terminal region and a second terminal region.

Abstract: The HBT-based transient suppression device contains a collector layer of a first conduction type, a base layer of a second conduction type, an emitter layer of the first conduction type, stacked in this order sequentially on a top side of a heavily doped substrate of the first conduction type. The doping concentration of the base layer is higher than that of the emitter and collector layers, and that the thickness of the collector layer is less than 300 nm, so that the BVCEO breakdown voltage is reduced below 5V Additionally, the thickness of the base layer is larger than the sum of the thickness of a section of the emitter-base depletion region extending into the base layer and the thickness of a section of the base-collector depletion region extending into the base layer, so that the base layer is not operated in a punch-through condition.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a source region, a channel region and a drain region formed in order along a surface of a substrate, a vertical type bipolar transistor formed from the source region below the substrate, a base contact region of the vertical type bipolar transistor, a buried layer connected to the vertical type bipolar transistor, a buried contact layer which electrically conducts the drain region and the buried layer and a drift region formed between the drain region and the channel region, which has the same conductive type as that of the drain region and has impurity concentration less than that of the drain region.

Abstract: A high-frequency power amplifier of the type to be mounted in an RF module for mobile phones having high-frequency power field effect transistors and gate protective diodes which are coupled between the gates and the sources of the high-frequency power field effect transistors. The gate protective diodes have an n type region formed over the main surface of a p type epitaxial layer, a first p type region formed at the center of the main surface of the n type region, a second p type region formed over the main surface of the epitaxial layer around the n type region from the periphery of the main surface of the n type region, and p+ type buried layers for coupling the second p type region to a substrate body. The distance between the end portions of the p+ type buried layers and the n+ type region is 7 ?m or more.

Abstract: Provided is a CMOS image sensor and method for manufacturing the same. The CMOS image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate, a conductive diffusion region formed in a photodiode area of the semiconductor substrate, a floating diffusion region formed in a transistor region of the semiconductor substrate, and an oxide region formed in the semiconductor substrate below the floating diffusion region.

Abstract: A design structure for a circuit providing the same trigger voltage across the multiple fingers is provided, which comprises a data representing an external current injection source connected to individual fingers of a multi-finger semiconductor device. For example, the external injection current is supplied to the body of a MOSFET or the gate of a thyristor. The magnitude of the supplied current from each external current injection source is adjusted so that each finger has the same trigger voltage. The external current supply circuit may comprise diodes or an RC triggered MOSFET. The components of the external current supply circuit may be tuned to achieve a desired predetermined trigger voltage across all fingers of the multi-finger semiconductor device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device suitable for applications in an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, including a semiconductor substrate, a first well formed in the substrate, a second well formed in the substrate, and a first doped region formed in the second well, wherein the first well, the second well, and the first doped region collectively form a parasitic bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and wherein the first well is the collector of the BJT, the second well is the base of the BJT, and the first doped region is the emitter of the BJT.

Abstract: A diode for alternating current (DIAC) electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is formed in a silicon germanium (SiGe) hetrojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) process that utilizes a very thin collector region. ESD protection for a pair of to-be-protected pads is provided by utilizing the base structures and the emitter structures of the SiGe transistors.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the invention has a first connection region, a second connection region and a semiconductor volume arranged between the first and second connection regions. Provision is made, within the semiconductor volume, in the vicinity of the second connection region, of a field stop zone for spatially delimiting a space charge zone that can be formed in the semiconductor volume, and of an anode region adjoining the first connection region. The dopant concentration profile within the semiconductor volume is configured such that the integral of the ionized dopant charge over the semiconductor volume, proceeding from an interface of the anode region which faces the second connection region, in the direction of the second connection region, reaches a quantity of charge corresponding to the breakdown charge of the semiconductor device only near the interface of the field stop zone which faces the second connection region.

Abstract: In a base region of a first conductivity type, at least one emitter region of a second conductivity type and at least one sense region of the second conductivity type, spaced away from the emitter region, are selectively formed. The emitter region and the sense region are located so as to be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction going from a collector region of the first conductivity type, which is formed so as to be spaced away from the base region, toward the base region. The width of the sense region, the width of the emitter region, the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the sense region, and the width of a part of the base region that is adjacent to the emitter region in the second direction are set in such a manner that a sense ratio varies in a desired manner in accordance with variation in collector current.

Abstract: The present invention provides a MOS transistor device for providing ESD protection including at least one interleaved finger having a source, drain and gate region formed over a channel region disposed between the source and the drain regions. The transistor device further includes at least one isolation gate formed in at least one of the interleaved fingers. The device can further include a bulk connection coupled to at least one of the source, drain and gate regions via through at least one of diode, MOS, resistor, capacitor inductor, short, etc. The bulk connection is preferably isolated through the isolation gate.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) transistor structure includes a self-aligned outrigger less than 0.4 microns from a gate electrode that is 50 microns wide. The outrigger is fabricated on ordinary logic transistors of an integrated circuit without severely affecting the performance of the transistors. The outrigger is used as an implant blocking structure to form first and second drain regions on either side of a lightly doped region that underlies the outrigger. The self-aligned outrigger and the lightly doped region beneath it are used to move the location of avalanche breakdown upon an ESD event away from the channel region. Durability is extended when fewer “hot carrier” electrons accumulate in the gate oxide. A current of at least 100 milliamperes can flow into the drain and then through the ESD transistor structure for a period of more than 30 seconds without causing a catastrophic failure of the ESD transistor structure.

Abstract: An electro-static discharge protection circuit includes a thyristor mode ensuring circuit and a thyristor rectifier circuit. The thyristor mode ensuring circuit includes a capacitive element connected between a higher potential line and a lower potential line, and ensures a constant and sufficient capacity independently of the number of input/output signal bits, even when the number of input/output signal bits is a theoretical minimum, i.e. 1, so that a surge current induced by electro-static discharge (ESD) applied to an output pad is injected into the first capacitive element to charge it. Thus, by means of the current caused by the surge current, the thyristor rectifier circuit is triggered into a thyristor mode, which allows the surge current to flow to the lower potential line through the thyristor rectifier circuit, protecting circuitry against the surge current.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ESD protection circuit for an integrated circuit including a drain-extended MOS device and an output pad that requires protection. The ESD protection circuit includes a first diode coupled to the output pad and to a bias voltage rail, a second diode coupled to the output pad and to another bias voltage rail, and an ESD power clamp coupled between the two bias voltage rails. The ESD power clamp is formed as a vertical npn transistor with its base and emitter coupled together. The collector of the npn transistor is formed using an n-well implantation and a DEMOS n-drain extension to produce a snapback-based voltage limiting characteristic. The diodes are formed with a lightly p-doped substrate region over a buried n-type layer, and a p-well implant and an n-well implant separated by intervening substrate. A third diode may be coupled between the two bias voltage rails.

Abstract: An ESD device includes a low doped well connected to a first contact and a diffusion area connected to a second contact. A substrate between the low doped well and the diffusion area has a dopant polarity that is opposite a dopant polarity of the low doped well and the diffusion area. A distance between the low doped well and the diffusion area determines a triggering voltage of the ESD device. A depletion region is formed between the low doped well and the substrate when a reverse bias voltage is applied to the ESD device. A current discharging path is formed between the first contact and the second contact when the depletion region comes in to contact with the diffusion area. The substrate is biased by a connection to the second contact. Alternatively, an additional diffusion area with the same dopant polarity, connected to a third contact, biases the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided with Zener diodes which are formed by using a polysilicon gate layer(s) so as to be connected to each other in parallel. Parallel-connected rectangular Zener diodes are formed outside an active region or parallel-connected striped Zener diodes are formed inside the active region. The Zener diodes increase the ESD capability of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor which has a base formed of a combination of shallow and deep acceptors species. Specifically, elements such as Indium, Tellurium, and Gallium are deep acceptors in silicon, and are appropriate for such an application, in combination with boron as the shallow acceptor. The use of a deep acceptor for doping the base of the transistor has the benefit of providing a doping species, which increases in ionization as the temperature rises. At elevated temperatures, the fraction of, for example, indium which is ionized increases and it results in an increased Gummel number, driving down the current gain. In other words, the enhancement of the Gummel number between room temperature and an elevated temperature compensates for the increase in the ratio of collector and base currents due to band gap narrowing effects. Thus, a zero temperature coefficient bipolar transistor is provided.

Abstract: Semiconductor structure including a first rigid dielectric layer and a second rigid dielectric layer. A first non-rigid low-k dielectric layer is formed between the first and second rigid dielectric layer. A plurality of dummy fill shapes is formed in the first non-rigid layer which replace portions of the first non-rigid low-k dielectric layer with lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) metal such that an overall CTE of the first non-rigid low-k dielectric layer and the plurality of dummy fill shapes matches a CTE of the first and second rigid dielectric layers more closely than that of the first non-rigid low-k dielectric layer alone.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon-controlled rectifier to protect an internal circuit from electrostatic discharge damage and a first metal-oxide-silicon field-effect transistor to apply a trigger voltage to the silicon-controlled rectifier. The first metal-oxide-silicon field-effect transistor including a gate electrode and a substrate which are electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an ESD protection device on a substrate, and a resistor having a gate structure overlying a resistor well separating a first doped region coupled to the ESD protection device and a second doped region coupled to a supply voltage for passing an ESD current from the second doped region to the first doped region to turn on the ESD protection device for dissipating the ESD current during an ESD event. The resistor well has an impurity density lower than that of the first and second doped regions for increasing resistance therebetween.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge-protected MOS structure is disclosed. An electrostatic discharge-protected MOS structure includes a semiconductor substrate of a first type, a first well of the first type formed in the semiconductor substrate, and a second well of a second type disposed adjacent to the first well. The MOS structure further includes a source region, a drain region, and an oxide layer and a polysilicon layer for forming a gate electrode of the MOS structure. In addition, the MOS structure includes a parasitic SCR comprising at least a parasitic NPN bipolar transistor and a buried layer of the second type interposed between the second well and the semiconductor substrate. The buried layer functions to lower a resistance of the semiconductor substrate during an ESD event so that ESD currents generated by the parasitic SCR are dissipated through the buried layer and the semiconductor substrate, thereby protecting the MOS structure.

Abstract: A diode structure fabrication method. In a P? substrate, an N+ layer is implanted. The N+ layer has an opening whose size affects the breakdown voltage of the diode structure. Upon the N+ layer, an N? layer is formed. Then, a P+ region is formed to serve as an anode of the diode structure. An N+ region can be formed on the surface of the substrate to serve as a cathode of the diode structure. By changing the size of the opening in the N+ layer during fabrication, the breakdown voltage of the diode structure can be changed (tuned) to a desired value.

Abstract: An ESD device includes a low doped well connected to a first contact and a diffusion area connected to a second contact. A substrate between the low doped well and the diffusion area has a dopant polarity that is opposite a dopant polarity of the low doped well and the diffusion area. A distance between the low doped well and the diffusion area determines a triggering voltage of the ESD device. A depletion region is formed between the low doped well and the substrate when a reverse bias voltage is applied to the ESD device. A current discharging path is formed between the first contact and the second contact when the depletion region comes in to contact with the diffusion area. The substrate is biased by a connection to the second contact. Alternatively, an additional diffusion area with the same dopant polarity, connected to a third contact, biases the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and circuits are disclosed for protecting an electronic circuit from ESD damage using an SCR ESD cell. An SCR circuit is coupled to a terminal of an associated microelectronic circuit for which ESD protection is desired. The SCR used in the ESD cell of the invention is provided with a full guardring for shielding the SCR from triggering by fast transients. A resistor is provided at the guardring for use in triggering the SCR at the onset of an ESD event. Exemplary preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed with silicide-block resistors within the range of about 2-1000 Ohms or less.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit structure includes a plurality of diodes disposed in the substrate. These diodes are electrically coupled in series. At least one insertion region is disposed in the substrate between two of the diodes and a supply voltage node electrically coupled to the insertion region. Preferably, a guard ring surrounds the diodes.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure is disclosed. The ESD protection structure includes an active device. The active device includes a plurality of drains. Each of the drains has a contact row and at least one body contact row. The at least one body contact row is located on the active device in a manner to reduce the amount of voltage required for triggering the ESD protection structure.

Abstract: A lateral bipolar transistor is used to protect a passive radio frequency (RF) microelectronic circuit during electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. The microelectronic circuit receives a high frequency differential input signal across first and second pads. The lateral bipolar transistor includes an n-type emitter coupled to the first pad and an n-type collector coupled to the second pad. The emitter and collector are located in a p-well, which forms the base of the transistor. The p-well is located in an isolating n-well, which in turn, is located in a p-type substrate. The n-well is coupled to receive the VDD supply voltage and the p-substrate is coupled to a VSS reference voltage. A dielectric region can be located between the emitter and collector (in the p-well).

Abstract: A trigger device. The device includes: a MOSFET comprising a source, a drain, a gate and a body; a modulating layer under the body; body and modulating layer contacts, the body contact separated from the source, drain and modulating contact by dielectric isolation in the body; the modulating layer contact separated from the source and drain by the dielectric isolation, the source and drain extending from a top surface of the body into the body a first distance, the body contact extending a second distance and the dielectric isolation extending a third distance, the third distance greater than the first or second distances; a first vertical bipolar transistor comprising the source, the body and the modulating layer; and a second vertical bipolar transistor comprising the drain, the body and the modulating layer.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge-protected MOS structure is disclosed. An electrostatic discharge-protected MOS structure includes a semiconductor substrate of a first type, a first well of the first type formed in the semiconductor substrate, and a second well of a second type disposed adjacent to the first well. The MOS structure further includes a source region, a drain region, and an oxide layer and a polysilicon layer for forming a gate electrode of the MOS structure. In addition, the MOS structure includes a parasitic SCR comprising at least a parasitic NPN bipolar transistor and a buried layer of the second type interposed between the second well and the semiconductor substrate. The buried layer functions to lower a resistance of the semiconductor substrate during an ESD event so that ESD currents generated by the parasitic SCR are dissipated through the buried layer and the semiconductor substrate, thereby protecting the MOS structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure for protecting integrated circuits from ESD pulses includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type and with a first dopant concentration. A well of a second conductivity type and with a second dopant concentration lies within the semiconductor substrate. Additionally, the semiconductor structure comprises a first area of a first conductivity type and with a third dopant concentration, wherein at least a first part of the area lies within the well. Further, there is a second area of a first conductivity type and with a fourth dopant concentration, the second area being fully within the well. A first protective zone of a second conductivity type and with a fifth dopant concentration lies in the well between the first area and the second area.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor body (22) comprising an active area (7) and a termination structure (16) surrounding the active area. The termination structure comprises a plurality of lateral transistor devices (2a to 2d) connected in series and extending from the active area towards a peripheral edge (42) of the semiconductor body, with a zener diode (8) connected to the gate electrode (4) of one of the lateral devices for controlling its gate voltage, such that a voltage difference between the active area and the peripheral edge is distributed across the lateral devices and the zener diode. The termination structure (16) is capable of withstanding higher voltages in a compact manner and features thereof are susceptible to fabrication in the same process steps as features of the active area (7).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for electrostatic discharge protection (ESD).

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) device with a parasitic silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) structure and controllable holding current is provided. A first distance is kept between a first N+ doped region and a first P+ doped region, and a second distance is kept between a second P+ doped region and a third N+ doped region. In addition, the holding current of the ESD device can be set to a specific value by modulating the first distance and the second distance. The holding current is in inverse proportion to the first distance and the second distance.

Abstract: A semiconductor dual guardring arrangement is provided which is useful during electrostatic discharge (ESD) events as well as during normal operating conditions. In particular, an inner guard that is located closer to an active area provides desirable performance during normal operating conditions, while an outer guardring located further from the active area provides desirable performance during an ESD event.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method for electrostatic discharge protection. The semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor controlled rectifier and a second semiconductor controlled rectifier. The first semiconductor controlled rectifier includes a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region, and the second semiconductor controlled rectifier includes the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region. The first semiconductor region is associated with a first doping type, and the second semiconductor region is associated with a second doping type different from the first doping type. The second semiconductor region is located directly on an insulating layer.

Abstract: To refine a semiconductor device (100), in particular a S[ilicon]O[n]I[nsulator] device, comprising: at least one isolating layer (10) made of a dielectric material; at least one silicon substrate (20) arranged on said isolating layer (10); at least one component (30) integrated in the silicon substrate (20), which component has at least one slightly doped zone (34); as well as at least a first, in particular planar, metallization region (40) arranged between the isolating layer (10) and the component (30), in particular between the isolating layer (10) and the slightly doped zone (34) of the component (30), as well as a method of manufacturing at least one semiconductor device (100) in such a manner that trouble-free operation also of slightly doped components (30), such as pnp transistors, is guaranteed in a SOI process transferred onto the insulator, it is proposed that at least a second, in particular planar, metallization region (42) is arranged on the side of the silicon substrate (20) facing away fr

Abstract: A device for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is disclosed. The device for electrostatic discharge protection includes a lateral bipolar transistor and a diode. The semiconductor transistor has an emitter, a base and a collector electrically connected to a first power line (such as Vdd), a second power line (such as Vss) and a bond pad of an integrated circuit respectively. The diode has an n electrode and a p electrode electrically connected to the first power line and the bond pad respectively.

Abstract: A semiconductor dual guardring arrangement is provided which is useful during electrostatic discharge (ESD) events as well as during normal operating conditions. In particular, an inner guard that is located closer to an active area provides desirable performance during normal operating conditions, while an outer guardring located further from the active area provides desirable performance during an ESD event.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for dissipating an ESD current from a first pad to a second pad during an ESD event. The ESD protection circuit includes a first bipolar transistor having an emitter coupled to the first pad. A second bipolar transistor having a base and a collector coupled to the second pad is used. Zero or more bipolar transistors are sequentially coupled between the first and second bipolar transistors in a base-to-emitter manner. A collector of the first bipolar transistor and the sequentially coupled transistors is connected to a base of a subsequently coupled bipolar transistor for helping to turn on the first, second and sequentially coupled bipolar transistors to provide a current path from the first pad to the second pad during an ESD event.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) device and method is provided. The ESD device can comprise a substrate doped to a first conductivity type, an epitaxial region doped to the second conductivity type, and a first well doped to the first conductivity type disposed in the substrate. The first well can comprise a first region doped to the first conductivity type, a second region doped to a second conductivity type, and a first isolation region disposed between the first region and the second region. The ESD device can also comprise a second well doped to a second conductivity type disposed in the substrate adjacent to the first well, where the second well can comprise a third region doped to the first conductivity type, a fourth region doped to the second conductivity type, and a second isolation region disposed between the third region and the fourth region.

Abstract: A high-reliable depletion-type MOS field-effect transistor as a process monitor is provided. A diode formed in polycrystalline silicon and a diode formed in a semiconductor substrate form a bi-directional diode. The bi-directional diode connects a gate electrode with the semiconductor substrate in the depletion-type MOS field-effect transistor through metal wirings.

Abstract: An inventive semiconductor integrated circuit device includes: an external connection terminal 1; an electrostatic discharge protection circuit 2; an output circuit 3; an output prebuffer circuit 4; an input prebuffer circuit 5; an internal circuit 41; an inter-power supply electrostatic discharge protection circuit 6; and a gate voltage control circuit 7. The gate voltage control circuit 7 has a capacitor 25 and a resistor 26, and the inter-power supply electrostatic discharge protection circuit 6 has an NMIS transistor 24. When a positive surge is applied to the external connection terminal 1, the gate potential of the NMIS transistor 24 is also increased. Thus, the NMIS transistor 24 is turned on, and the positive electrical charge supplied to the external connection terminal 1 is discharged toward a ground line 23.

Abstract: This invention provides an electrostatic damage protection device which can protects a device to be protected enough from an electrostatic damage and prevents damages of protection transistors themselves. A N-channel type first MOS transistor and a N-channel type second MOS transistor serving as protection transistors are connected in series between an output terminal and a ground potential. On the other hand, a P-channel type third MOS transistor and a P-channel type fourth MOS transistor serving as protection transistors are connected in series between a high power supply potential and the output terminal. These first, second, third, and fourth MOS transistors are formed of low withstand voltage MOS transistors.

Abstract: An example embodiment of the memory integrated circuit device may include a first temperature sensing unit, a first voltage adjusting unit, and a MOS back bias voltage outputting unit. The first voltage adjusting unit may be configured to output a voltage based on an output signal of the temperature sensing unit such that the voltage output changes based on changes in a sensed temperature. The MOS back bias voltage outputting unit may be configured to receive the voltage output by the voltage adjusting unit and configured to output the MOS back bias voltage based on the voltage output by the first voltage adjusting unit.

Abstract: Circuits are described that provide electrostatic discharge protection for I/O circuits that support the low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) and on-chip termination (OCT) standards. At least one additional transistor is connected across an I/O transistor. In the case of LVDS, a pair of stacked transistors is used in which the distance between the source/drain region and a well tap is considerably greater for the transistor connected to the I/O pad. A PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor may also be connected in series between a first node such as a power supply node and the I/O pad. An OCT circuit is also disclosed in which the spacing between the source/drain region and a well tap in the OCT transistor is smaller than that in the I/O transistor.