Patents Assigned to Natiional Semiconductor Corporation
  • Fully distributed slave ESD clamps formed under the bond pads
    Patent number: 6667870
    Abstract: The pads of a semiconductor die are protected from an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event by an ESD protection circuit that has a number of master corner clamps and a number of slave clamps that are controlled by the master corner clamps. The slave clamps are formed under the ESD plus and minus rings which, in turn, are formed under the pads, thereby providing a significant reduction in the height of the I/O cell, and improved ESD performance by reducing metalization IR drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Natiional Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Alan Erik Segervall