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Microelectronics I Notes Supplement Latchup in Bulk CMOS

Latchup can occur in bulk CMOS circuits when both parasitic bipolar transistors conduct, creating a low resistance path between the power supply and ground. This happens when the product of the gains of the two transistors is greater than one. Latchup results in circuit malfunction and possible device destruction. It can be triggered by noise spikes or improper connections that cause one transistor to turn on, which then draws current to turn on the other in a self-sustaining feedback loop. Preventing latchup involves reducing the transistor gains, lowering parasitic resistances, and protecting against voltage transients and electrostatic discharge.

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79 views2 pages

Microelectronics I Notes Supplement Latchup in Bulk CMOS

Latchup can occur in bulk CMOS circuits when both parasitic bipolar transistors conduct, creating a low resistance path between the power supply and ground. This happens when the product of the gains of the two transistors is greater than one. Latchup results in circuit malfunction and possible device destruction. It can be triggered by noise spikes or improper connections that cause one transistor to turn on, which then draws current to turn on the other in a self-sustaining feedback loop. Preventing latchup involves reducing the transistor gains, lowering parasitic resistances, and protecting against voltage transients and electrostatic discharge.

Uploaded by

hardeep
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MicroelectronicsINotesSupplement

LatchupinBulkCMOS
AbyproductoftheBulkCMOSstructureisapairofparasiticbipolartransistors.Thecollectorofeach
BJTisconnectedtothebaseoftheothertransistorinapositivefeedbackstructure.Aphenomenoncalled
latchupcanoccurwhen(1)bothBJT'sconduct,creatingalowresistancepathbetweenVddandGND
and(2)theproductofthegainsofthetwotransistorsinthefeedbackloop,b1xb2,isgreaterthanone.
Theresultoflatchupisattheminimumacircuitmalfunction,andintheworstcase,thedestructionofthe
device.

CrosssectionofparasitictransistorsinBulkCMOS

EquivalentCircuit
LatchupmaybeginwhenVoutdropsbelowGNDduetoanoisespikeoranimpropercircuithookup
(VoutisthebaseofthelateralNPNQ2).IfsufficientcurrentflowsthroughRsubtoturnonQ2(IRsub>
0.7V),thiswilldrawcurrentthroughRwell.IfthevoltagedropacrossRwellishighenough,Q1will
alsoturnon,andaselfsustaininglowresistancepathbetweenthepowerrailsisformed.Ifthegainsare
suchthatb1xb2>1,latchupmayoccur.Oncelatchuphasbegun,theonlywaytostopitistoreducethe
currentbelowacriticallevel,usuallybyremovingpowerfromthecircuit.

Themostlikelyplaceforlatchuptooccurisinpaddrivers,wherelargevoltagetransientsandlarge
currentsarepresent.

Preventinglatchup
Fab/DesignApproaches
1.Reducethegainproductb1xb1
movenwellandn+source/drainfartherapartincreaseswidthofthebaseofQ2andreduces
gainbeta2
>alsoreducescircuitdensity
buriedn+layerinwellreducesgainofQ1
2.Reducethewellandsubstrateresistances,producinglowervoltagedrops
highersubstratedopinglevelreducesRsub
reduceRwellbymakinglowresistancecontacttoGND
guardringsaroundpand/ornwell,withfrequentcontactstotherings,reducestheparasitic
resistances.

CMOStransistorswithguardrings

SystemsApproaches
1.Makesurepowersuppliesareoffbeforepluggingaboard.A"hotplugin"ofanunpoweredcircuit
boardormodulemaycausesignalpinstoseesurgevoltagesgreaterthan0.7VhigherthanVdd,
whichrisesmoreslowlytoispeakvalue.Whenthechipcomesuptofullpower,sectionsofit
couldbelatched.
2.CarefullyprotectelectrostaticprotectiondevicesassociatedwithI/Opadswithguardrings.
Electrostaticdischargecantriggerlatchup.ESDentersthecircuitthroughanI/Opad,whereitis
clampedtooneoftherailsbytheESDprotectioncircuit.Devicesintheprotectioncircuitcan
injectminoritycarriersinthesubstrateorwell,potentiallytriggeringlatchup.
3.Radiation,includingxrays,cosmic,oralpharays,cangenerateelectronholepairsasthey
penetratethechip.Thesecarrierscancontributetowellorsubstratecurrents.
4.Suddentransientsonthepowerorgroundbus,whichmayoccuriflargenumbersoftransistors
switchsimultaneously,candrivethecircuitintolatchup.Whetherthisispossibleshouldbe
checkedthroughsimulation.

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