Abstract: In a method of making electrical connections to an integrated chip, an oxide layer is formed on the surface of the chip and a substrate carrying electrical connections. The conductors on the chip are accurately aligned with the conductors on the substrate. An oxide layer formed on the surface of the chip is then fusion bonded to an oxide layer on the substrate and voids remaining between the conductors filled with a conductive material. This method removes the limitation imposed by the large pad size needed for conventional techniques.

Abstract: A input circuit provides ESD protection to an integrated circuit comprising a V.sub.dd pad, a V.sub.ss pad, a plurality of input and output pads, a V.sub.dd power rail, and a V.sub.ss power rail. A large diode sufficient to carry ESD current is placed directly between the V.sub.ss pad and the V.sub.dd power rail, and the input pads are connected to the V.sub.dd power rail through respective diodes.

Abstract: An arrangement for protecting an input of a monolithic integrated circuit against ESD events, comprises a thick field bipolar main transistor adapted to breakdown under ESD stress to dissipate ESD energy, a thin field bipolar main transistor adapted to breakdown under ESD stress, and an attenuator resistor. The thin field transistor has a lower breakdown voltage than the thick field transistor whereby for an ESD event of a given polarity, the thin field transistor breaks down before the thick field transistor. During an ESD event current, the thin field device responds rapidly to the fast edge of an ESD transient and thereby shunts current that the thick field device is too slow to respond to.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has an input protection device including a bipolar transistor to shunt current away from sensitive areas of the circuit during an e.s.d. event. The bipolar transistor includes floating electrodes on the base to define an equipotential base region so that the effective size of the emitter, and hence the currently handling capability of the transistor, is increased.