Self-shielding: new high-voltage inter-connection technique for HVICs

A new, cost-effective, high-voltage inter-connection technique for HVICs, named Self-Shielding, is proposed. To avoid the lowering of breakdown voltage of high-voltage devices affected by the electric potential of overlying interconnections, self-shielding technique utilizes only the native PN-junction structures of high-voltage devices themselves. No additional shielding structure is required even to realize a very high-voltage IC above 1000 V. Design concept and device structures are presented together with the experimental results on the operation of self-shielded 1200 V level-shifters.