Compact Wideband Millimeter-Wave ESD Protection Device With Transformer-Embedded DCSCR

This letter presents a novel structure for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection of millimeter wave (mm-wave) input/output (I/O). The proposed structure features a meticulously embedded transformer in the direct-connected silicon-controlled rectifier (DCSCR), which ensures wideband lossless performance through the resonance between the transformer and parasitic capacitance in DCSCR. In addition, the proposed structure sets a precedent for placing ESD protection devices beneath the inductors with a floating shield, which results in an efficient saving of silicon footprint. Verified in a 40-nm CMOS process, the proposed structure demostrates a 2.55 kV HBM level, 27.5-50 GHz bandwidth, 0.65 ns turn-on time and occupies only 88.2×88.2 μm 2 .