Abstract: A novel temperature-triggered fuse device is configured to be activated at a designer-specified ambient temperature by utilizing wetting force among a pair of wetting material bays and a solder bridge or a solder ball. The solder bridge or the solder ball is typically positioned on top of the pair of wetting material bays separated by an electrically-insulated gap. Preferably, the wetting material bays are at least partly made of gold, nickel, or other elements suitable for generating an increased wetting force to the solder bridge or the solder ball upon increases in ambient temperature. The novel temperature-triggered fuse device can be integrated into various types of integrated circuits (IC's), or can function as a discrete fuse connected to one or more electronic components for robust protection from power surges and/or thermal runaway-related device malfunctions, meltdowns, or explosions. Various methods of producing the temperature-triggered fuse device are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A novel temperature-triggered fuse device is configured to be activated at a designer-specified ambient temperature by utilizing wetting force among a pair of wetting material bays and a solder bridge or a solder ball. The solder bridge or the solder ball is typically positioned on top of the pair of wetting material bays separated by an electrically-insulated gap. Preferably, the wetting material bays are at least partly made of gold, nickel, or other elements suitable for generating an increased wetting force to the solder bridge or the solder ball upon increases in ambient temperature. The novel temperature-triggered fuse device can be integrated into various types of integrated circuits (IC's), or can function as a discrete fuse connected to one or more electronic components for robust protection from power surges and/or thermal runaway-related device malfunctions, meltdowns, or explosions. Various methods of producing the temperature-triggered fuse device are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A fast-acting power protection system and a related method of power protection are disclosed. The fast-acting power protection system includes a current limiting block capable of reducing or blocking an unwanted current or voltage surge at an input terminal of the fast-acting power protection system. The fast-acting power protection system can include an NMOS-based power switch unit, a current-limiting block control unit, and an NMOS-based active Zener clamp, which may be separated or combined on hybrid substrates of a single semiconductor package for improved design and manufacturing scalability, cost efficiency, and reliability. Depending on design preferences, the NMOS-based active Zener clamp may be integrated into the current-limiting block control unit or remain separate. The fast-acting power protection system protects an electrical device connected to an output terminal of the fast-acting power protection system from an unwanted voltage surge by rapidly clamping an output voltage to a clamp voltage.

Abstract: A novel fuse device incorporates electrically-conductive metal-filled vias that vertically connect frontside metal pads with backside metal pads through an electrically-insulated base substrate. The vias are initially created by drilling through the base substrate and then completed by filling the drilled vias with an electrically highly-conductive metallic substance. The vertical electrical connection between the frontside metal pads and the backside metal pads, established by the vias in the fuse structure, enables packageless integration of the novel fuse device to an electronic circuit by eliminating the structural need for wire bond pads and conventional leadframe or cavity packages. Preferably, each frontside metal pad of the novel fuse device is connected to an electrical terminal of the electronic circuit requiring fuse-based power protection, and each backside metal pad is attached to a printed circuit board (PCB) containing the electronic circuit for seamless direct mounting of the fuse structure.

Abstract: A novel electrical circuit protection design with dielectrically-isolated diode configuration and architecture is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of diodes connected in series is monolithically integrated in a single piece of semiconductor substrates by utilizing dielectrically-isolated trenching and silicon-on-insulator substrates, which enable formation of “silicon islands” to insulate a diode structure electrically from adjacent structures. In one embodiment of the invention, the plurality of diodes connected in series includes at least one Zener diode, which provides a clamping voltage approximately equal to its breakdown voltage value in case of a voltage spike or a power surge event.