Abstract: A protection apparatus for sensitive electronic circuitry susceptible to damage from transient voltage pulses. The apparatus includes sensitive circuitry and a transient voltage suppressor device mounted on a common circuit board or substrate. The transient voltage suppressor device comprises a semiconductor chip having a plurality of electrodes on a single major surface of the chip, the plurality of electrodes comprises over the half the area of the major surface of the chip and are mounted to surface conductors of the circuit board. The chip may contain a plurality of transient voltage suppression devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor device for suppressing transient voltages is adapted for use on high frequency data lines. The semiconductor device combines an avalanche type diode which has high capacitance in series with a rectifying diode which has a capacitance three magnitudes lower. The resultant semiconductor device is fabricated using a single, monolithic silicon die instead of stacking two separate dies as has been done in prior art transient voltage suppressors to achieve the same characteristics. The semiconductor die is adaptable for packaging in surface mountable DIP packages and other common circuit board mountable packages.

Abstract: A power surge on an incoming electrical line is predominantly dissipated through a spark gap and the remaining energy is grounded through a pn silicon junction to protect electrical equipment connected to the electrical line. A delay line intermediate the spark gap and the pn silicon junction segregates the operation of the two protection devices on a time basis, whereby they operate independently of one another.