SOI series MOSFET for embedded high voltage applications and soft-error immunity

We demonstrate a simple and novel scheme to achieve high drain breakdown voltage (BV) in a high-speed silicon-on-insulator (SOI) logic technology. In an SOI device with two FETs in series, the common floating node provides a negative feedback that limits the increase of avalanche current. This unique property of SOI provides a way to enhance the breakdown voltage by simply adding more devices in series. Data from 45nm SOI technology show BV>6.5V for two-NFET in series, and BV>10V for three and four-FET in series. Other benefits of SOI series device include >300x reduction in stand-by leakage current and soft-error immunity as compared to a single SOI device. Our result suggests the prospect of integrating high-voltage functions on SOI-based technologies with little or no additional cost. ©2008 IEEE.