International Business Machines Corporation

Kevin Geoffrey Stawiasz

Keith Aelwyn Jenkins

Barry P Linder

Peilin Song

Franco Stellari

Emmanuel Yashchin

Alan Weger

Raphael Peter Robertazzi

James H Stathis

Emily A Ray

Carl John Radens

Stephen Victor Kosonocky

Azeez Jennudin Bhavnagarwala

Pascal A Nsame

Carole D Graas

Methods and systems of detecting chip degradation are described. A processor may execute a test on a device at a first time, where the test includes executable instructions for the device to execute a task under specific conditions relating to a performance attribute. The processor may receive performance data indicating a set of outcomes from the task executed by the device during the test. The processor may determine a first value of a parameter of the performance attribute based on the identified subset. The processor may compare the first value with a second value of the parameter of the performance attribute. The second value is based on an execution of the test on the device at a second time. The processor may determine a degradation status of the device based on the comparison of the first value with the second value.

Detection of performance degradation in integrated circuits

A method and system are provided for chip testing. The method includes selectively deploying a chip for future use or discarding the chip to prevent the future use, responsive to a stress history of the chip determined using a non-destructive test procedure. The test procedure includes ordering each of a plurality of functional patterns by a respective minimum operating period corresponding thereto. The test procedure further includes ranking each of the plurality of patterns based on at least one preceding available pattern to provide a plurality of pattern ranks. The test procedure also includes calculating a sum by summing the plurality of pattern ranks. The sum calculated during an initial performance of the test procedure is designated as a baseline, and the sum calculated during a subsequent performance of the test procedure is compared to a threshold derived from the baseline to determine the stress history of the chip.

Non-destructive analysis to determine use history of processor

A method and system are provided for chip testing. The method includes ascertaining a baseline for a functioning chip with no stress history by performing a non-destructive test procedure on the functioning chip. The method further includes repeating the test procedure on a chip under test using a threshold derived from the baseline as a reference point to determine a stress history of the chip under test. The test procedure includes ordering each of a plurality of functional patterns by a respective minimum operating period corresponding thereto, ranking each pattern based on at least one preceding available pattern to provide a plurality of pattern ranks, and calculating a sum by summing the pattern ranks. The sum calculated by the ascertaining step is designated as the baseline, and the sum calculated by the repeating step is compared to the threshold to determine the stress history of the chip under test.

A test structure and method to detect open circuits due to electromigration or burn-out in test wires and inter-level vias. Electromigration occurs when current flows through circuit wires leading to a circuit interruption within the wire. The test structure is a passive test wire arranged in one of several configurations within the circuit of a computer chip. The dimensions and resistances of test wires can vary according to the test structure configuration. Each test wire is measured for an electrical discontinuity after the computer chip is powered-on. If a wiring interruption is detected, it is concluded that the chip had been powered-on before.

Circuit to detect previous use of computer chips using passive test wires

Circuits and methods are provided for a reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) enabled and self-regulated frequency and delay sensor of a semiconductor. A circuit for measuring and compensating for time-dependent performance degradation of an integrated circuit, includes at least one critical functional path of the integrated circuit, and Wearout Isolation Registers (WIR's) connected to boundaries of the critical functional path. The circuit also includes a feedback path connected to the WIR's, and a sensor control module operable to disconnect the critical functional path from preceding and succeeding functional paths of the integrated circuit, connect the critical functional path to the feedback path to form a critical path ring oscillator (CPRO), and enable the CPRO to generate an operating signal. A delay sensor module is operable to measure a frequency of the operating signal to determine and compensate for a degradation of application performance over a lifetime of a semiconductor product.

Circuit and method for RAS-enabled and self-regulated frequency and delay sensor

A Circuit architecture and a method for rapid and accurate statistical characterization of the variations in the electrical characteristics of CMOS process structures, MOS devices and Circuit parameters is provided. The proposed circuit architecture and method enables a statistical characterization throughput of &#x3c;1 ms/DC sweep at &#x3c;2 mV or &#x3c;1 nA resolution accuracy of variations in voltage or current of the device under test. Salient features of proposed circuit architecture include a programmable ramp voltage generator that stimulates the device under test, a dual input 9-11 bit cyclic ADC that captures input and output DC voltage/current signals to/from the device under test, a 2 Kb latch bank that captures 9-11 bit streams for each measurement point in a DC sweep of programmable granularity and a clocking and control scheme that enables continuous measurement and stream out of digital data blocks from which the analog characteristics of the devices under test are reconstructed post measurement.

Digital interface for fast, inline, statistical characterization of process, MOS device and circuit variations

A circuit, method, and computer readable medium for on-chip measuring of noise margins in a memory device memory device are disclosed. The on-chip method includes electrically coupling at least a first circuit to a memory cell. A voltage divider is electrically coupled to at least a first voltage and a second voltage. A multiplexer circuit is electrically coupled to the voltage divider. The multiplexer selects one of the first voltage and second voltage for producing a test voltage. A selecting line is electrically coupled to a force\measure network. A comparator is coupled to the force\measure network. The force-measure network supplies the test voltage to the comparator and a measured voltage to the comparator for determining when the measured voltage exceeds the test voltage.

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Bethel, CT, United States of America

Kevin Geoffrey Stawiasz