Drain-Extended FinFET With Embedded SCR (DeFinFET-SCR) for High-Voltage ESD Protection and Self-Protected Designs

• Published in: IEEE transactions on electron devices 2019-12, Vol.66 (12), p.5072-5079
• Main Authors: Paul, Milova, Sampath Kumar, B., Karmel Nagothu, Kranthi, Singhal, Pulkit, Gossner, Harald, Shrivastava, Mayank
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anodes; Charge carrier processes; Drain-extended FinFET (DeFinFET); electrostatic discharge (ESD); Electrostatic discharges; FinFETs; High voltages; Modulation; Robustness; Semiconductor devices; Silicon controlled rectifiers; silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR); Space charge; Static electricity; Stress; System on chip; technology computer-aided design (TCAD); Transistors
• ISSN: 0018-9383; 1557-9646
• DOI: 10.1109/TED.2019.2949126

This article presents device design insights and design challenges for drain-extended FinFET devices with embedded silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) (DeFinFET-SCR), which can be used as an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device and a self-protected high-voltage switch/driver for system-on-chip applications. The tradeoff between maximizing ESD robustness without hindering the transistor's operation is discussed in detail. An interplay between parasitic p-n-p turn-on and space charge modulation (SCM) is revealed, which strongly influences the strength of parasitic SCR and its turn-on efficiency during ESD and DC operations. Developed physical insights show that engineering p-n-p turn-on and onset of SCM are the key to maximize ESD robustness without causing early SCR turn-on during transistor operation. Based on new findings and developed physical insights, design guidelines have been derived for ESD robust DeFinFET-SCR.