Patents by Inventor Ying-Chang Lin
Ying-Chang Lin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8913359Abstract: An RC-based electrostatic discharge protection device provides an extended snapback trigger voltage range, thereby avoiding latch-up. Two parallel current discharge paths are provided between supply terminals during an electrostatic discharge event by virtue of an added external resistor. The first current discharge path includes body resistance of the protection device and the second current discharge path includes the external resistor.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2012Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Ying-Chang Lin, Handoko Linewih
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Patent number: 8891215Abstract: A triple stack NMOS integrated circuit structure protection circuit for a plurality of terminals operative at respective voltage levels is coupled between the plurality of terminals. First and second NMOS elements of the triple stack NMOS share a common active region. A third NMOS element, vertically positioned with respect to the first and second NMOS elements, has an active region separate from the active region of the first and second NMOS elements. The first, second and third NMOS elements are connected in series between two terminals of the plurality of terminals.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2012Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Handoko Linewih, Ying-Chang Lin
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Patent number: 8853784Abstract: A device having a substrate defined with a device region which includes an ESD protection circuit is disclosed. The ESD protection circuit has first and second transistors. A transistor includes a gate having first and second sides, a first diffusion region in the device region adjacent to the first side of the gate, and a second diffusion region in the device region displaced away from the second side of the gate. The first and second diffusion regions include dopants of a first polarity type. The device includes a first device well which encompasses the device region and second device wells which are disposed within the first device well. A well contact is coupled to the second device wells. The well contact surrounds the gates of the transistors and abuts the first diffusion regions of the transistors.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2013Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Handoko Linewih, Ying-Chang Lin
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Patent number: 8848326Abstract: A cross-domain ESD protection scheme is disclosed. Embodiments include coupling a first power clamp to a first power rail and a first ground rail; providing a first NMOS transistor having a first source, a first drain, and a first gate; coupling the first source to a second ground rail; providing a first PMOS transistor having a second source, a second drain, and a second gate; coupling the second source to the first power rail; and providing, via the first power clamp, a signal to turn on the first NMOS transistor during an ESD event that occurs at the first power rail.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2012Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Ying-Chang Lin
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Patent number: 8847318Abstract: A device which includes a substrate defined with a device region with an ESD protection circuit having at least first and second transistors is disclosed. Each of the transistors includes a gate having first and second sides, a first diffusion region in the device region adjacent to the first side of the gate, a second diffusion region in the device region displaced away from the second side of the gate, and a drift isolation region disposed between the gate and the second diffusion region. A first device well encompasses the device region and a second device well is disposed within the first device well. The device also includes a drift well which encompasses the second diffusion region. Edges of the drift well do not extend below the gate and is away from a channel region. A drain well is disposed under the second diffusion region and within the drift well.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Handoko Linewih, Ying-Chang Lin
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Patent number: 8792219Abstract: An ESD-robust I/O driver circuit is disclosed. Embodiments include providing a first NMOS transistor having a first source, a first drain, and a first gate; coupling the first source is coupled to a ground rail, and the first drain to an I/O pad; providing a gate driver control circuit including a second NMOS transistor having a second source, a second drain, and a second gate; and coupling the second drain to the first gate, the second source to the ground rail, wherein the gate driver control circuit provides a ground potential to the first gate during an ESD event occurring from the I/O pad to the ground rail.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Ying-Chang Lin
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Patent number: 8767360Abstract: A ESD protection scheme is disclosed for circuits with multiple power domains. Embodiments include: coupling a first power clamp to a first power rail and a first ground rail of a first domain; coupling a second power clamp to a second power rail and a second ground rail of a second domain; providing a blocking circuit for blocking current from an ESD event; providing an I/O interface connection in the first domain for transmitting signals from the first domain to the blocking circuit; providing a core interface connection in the second domain for transmitting signals from the blocking circuit to the second domain; coupling an input connection of the blocking circuit to the I/O interface connection; and coupling an output connection of the blocking circuit to a core interface connection.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Ying-Chang Lin, Da-Wei Lai
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Publication number: 20140160604Abstract: An RC-based electrostatic discharge protection device provides an extended snapback trigger voltage range, thereby avoiding latch-up. Two parallel current discharge paths are provided between supply terminals during an electrostatic discharge event by virtue of an added external resistor. The first current discharge path includes body resistance of the protection device and the second current discharge path includes the external resistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei LAI, Ying-Chang LIN, Handoko LINEWIH
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Publication number: 20140160605Abstract: A triple stack NMOS integrated circuit structure protection circuit for a plurality of terminals operative at respective voltage levels is coupled between the plurality of terminals. First and second NMOS elements of the triple stack NMOS share a common active region. A third NMOS element, vertically positioned with respect to the first and second NMOS elements, has an active region separate from the active region of the first and second NMOS elements. The first, second and third NMOS elements are connected in series between two terminals of the plurality of terminals.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei LAI, Handoko LINEWIH, Ying-Chang LIN
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Patent number: 8724271Abstract: An ESD-robust I/O driver circuit is disclosed. Embodiments include providing a first NMOS transistor having a first source, a first drain, and a first gate; coupling the first source to a ground rail and the first drain to an I/O pad; coupling a gate driver control circuit to the first drain and the first gate; and providing a ground potential to the first gate, via the gate driver control circuit, during an ESD event occurring from the I/O pad to the ground rail.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2012Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Ying-Chang Lin, Mahadeva Iyer Natarajan
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Patent number: 8724272Abstract: An ESD protection device with a tunable holding voltage is disclosed. Embodiments include: providing a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) having a first n-type layer with a cathode connection, a first p-type layer with a first control connection, a second n-type layer with a second control connection, and a second p-type layer with an anode connection; coupling the anode connection to a power rail; coupling the cathode connection to a ground rail; providing a tunable holding voltage control unit including a first NMOS having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source, wherein during an ESD event, the first NMOS is turned off and a holding voltage of the SCR is low; coupling the first drain to the first control connection; coupling the first source to the ground rail; and coupling the first gate to a program circuit.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2012Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Ying-Chang Lin, Da-Wei Lai
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Publication number: 20130321961Abstract: A ESD protection scheme is disclosed for circuits with multiple power domains. Embodiments include: coupling a first power clamp to a first power rail and a first ground rail of a first domain; coupling a second power clamp to a second power rail and a second ground rail of a second domain; providing a blocking circuit for blocking current from an ESD event; providing an I/O interface connection in the first domain for transmitting signals from the first domain to the blocking circuit; providing a core interface connection in the second domain for transmitting signals from the blocking circuit to the second domain; coupling an input connection of the blocking circuit to the I/O interface connection; and coupling an output connection of the blocking circuit to a core interface connection.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Ying-Chang Lin, Da-Wei Lai
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Publication number: 20130321962Abstract: An ESD-robust I/O driver circuit is disclosed. Embodiments include providing a first NMOS transistor having a first source, a first drain, and a first gate; coupling the first source is coupled to a ground rail, and the first drain to an I/O pad; providing a gate driver control circuit including a second NMOS transistor having a second source, a second drain, and a second gate; and coupling the second drain to the first gate, the second source to the ground rail, wherein the gate driver control circuit provides a ground potential to the first gate during an ESD event occurring from the I/O pad to the ground rail.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Ying-Chang Lin
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Publication number: 20130279052Abstract: An ESD protection device with a tunable holding voltage is disclosed. Embodiments include: providing a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) having a first n-type layer with a cathode connection, a first p-type layer with a first control connection, a second n-type layer with a second control connection, and a second p-type layer with an anode connection; coupling the anode connection to a power rail; coupling the cathode connection to a ground rail; providing a tunable holding voltage control unit including a first NMOS having a first gate, a first drain, and a first source, wherein during an ESD event, the first NMOS is turned off and a holding voltage of the SCR is low; coupling the first drain to the first control connection; coupling the first source to the ground rail; and coupling the first gate to a program circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2012Publication date: October 24, 2013Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Ying-Chang Lin, Da-Wei Lai
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Publication number: 20130235496Abstract: An ESD-robust I/O driver circuit is disclosed. Embodiments include providing a first NMOS transistor having a first source, a first drain, and a first gate; coupling the first source to a ground rail and the first drain to an I/O pad; coupling a gate driver control circuit to the first drain and the first gate; and providing a ground potential to the first gate, via the gate driver control circuit, during an ESD event occurring from the I/O pad to the ground rail.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2012Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei Lai, Ying-Chang Lin, Mahadeva Iyer Natarajan
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Publication number: 20130235498Abstract: A cross-domain ESD protection scheme is disclosed. Embodiments include coupling a first power clamp to a first power rail and a first ground rail; providing a first NMOS transistor having a first source, a first drain, and a first gate; coupling the first source to a second ground rail; providing a first PMOS transistor having a second source, a second drain, and a second gate; coupling the second source to the first power rail; and providing, via the first power clamp, a signal to turn on the first NMOS transistor during an ESD event that occurs at the first power rail.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2012Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Da-Wei LAI, Ying-Chang Lin