Electrostatic discharge protection method and device for semiconductor device including an electrostatic discharge protection element providing a discharge path of a surge current

摘要

An electrostatic discharge protection device includes a first bipolar transistor having a collector terminal connected with a first power supply terminal, an emitter terminal connected with the input/output terminal, and a base terminal connected with a second power supply terminal, a second bipolar transistor having a collector terminal connected with the second power supply terminal, an emitter terminal connected with the input/output terminal, and a base terminal connected with the first power supply terminal, one of the first and second bipolar transistors ensuring a continuity between the collector terminal and emitter terminal under such conditions that a potential difference between the first or second power supply terminal and the input/output terminal is lower than a breakdown voltage at a PN junction between the emitter terminal and the base terminal of the other bipolar transistor.