APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HIGH VOLTAGE I/O ELECTRO-STATIC DISCHARGE PROTECTION

An electronics chip includes a charge pump and at least one high voltage (HV) electro-static discharge (ESD) module. The charge pump is configured to provide a predetermined voltage across a microphone. The devices described herein are implemented in a standard low voltage CMOS process and has a circuit topology that provides an inherent ESD protection level (when it is powered down), which is higher than the operational (predetermined) DC level. At least one high voltage (HV) electro-static discharge (ESD) module is coupled to the output of the charge pump. The HV ESD module is configured to provide ESD protection for the charge pump and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone that is coupled to the chip. The at least one HV ESD module includes a plurality of PMOS or NMOS transistors having at least one high voltage NWELL/DNWELL region formed within selected ones of the PMOS or NMOS transistors. The at least one high voltage NWELL/DNWELL region has a breakdown voltage sufficient to allow a low voltage process to be used to construct the chip and still allow the HV ESD module to provide ESD protection for the chip.