Abstract: An ESD protection circuit is provided having a first field-effect transistor, which has a first drain terminal, a first source terminal and a first control terminal, and having an input network which, in the event that a first voltage present between the first drain terminal and the first source terminal crosses a threshold value, alters a second voltage that appears between the first control terminal and the first source terminal. The input network contains a second field-effect transistor, complementary to the first field-effect transistor, having a second drain terminal, a second source terminal and a second control terminal, wherein the first drain terminal is connected to the second source terminal and, through a first resistance, to the second control terminal, and the second drain terminal is connected to the first control terminal and, through a second resistance, to the first source terminal.

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: 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: 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 semiconductor protective structure suitable for electrostatic discharge with a field-effect transistor, whose source forms an emitter, whose body forms a base, and whose drain forms a collector of a bipolar transistor. A plurality of drain regions are formed within a body region of the field-effect transistor, and the drain regions are connected to one another by a conductor.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure is disclosed. The ESD protection structure comprises 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. A system and method in accordance with the present invention utilizes a LDNMOS transistor as ESD protection element with optimised substrate contacts. The ratio of substrate contact rows to drain contact rows is smaller than one in order to reduce the triggering voltage of the inherent bipolar transistor.

Abstract: An ESD protection circuit includes semiconductor structures as basic elements whose electrical conductivity changes in a breakdown or avalanche manner in the presence of an applied voltage which exceeds a threshold value. The ESD protection circuit has a matrix of basic elements in which a desired current capacity can be set by specifying a number of basic elements in each row, and a desired voltage capacity can be set by specifying a number of rows.

Abstract: An ESD protection circuit is provided having a first field-effect transistor, which has a first drain terminal, a first source terminal and a first control terminal, and having an input network which, in the event that a first voltage present between the first drain terminal and the first source terminal crosses a threshold value, alters a second voltage that appears between the first control terminal and the first source terminal. The input network contains a second field-effect transistor, complementary to the first field-effect transistor, having a second drain terminal, a second source terminal and a second control terminal, wherein the first drain terminal is connected to the second source terminal and, through a first resistance, to the second control terminal, and the second drain terminal is connected to the first control terminal and, through a second resistance, to the first source terminal.