Texas Instruments Corporation

Stanton Petree Ashburn

Beena Pious

Douglas Ticknor Grider

Vikas I Gupta

E Ajith Amerasekera

Katherine E Violette

Jayesh C Raval

Abha Singh Kasper

Mahalingam Nandakumar

Cetin Kaya

Wah Kit Loh

Rick L Wise

Donald L Plumton

F Scott Johnson

Douglas A Prinslow

Harold C Waite

Daniel Lee Corum

Eric D Rullan

James Craig Ondrusek

Methods and devices for mapping logical addresses to physical locations on an integrated circuit die are disclosed herein. An embodiment of the method includes fabricating a die, where the die has a plurality of bits that are electrically accessible by way of logical addresses. A plurality of bits have known defects that form a predetermined fault pattern at a predetermined location on the die. The bits are tested by using the logical addresses, wherein the testing yields data as to the functionality of the bits. The test results are searched for the predetermined fault pattern. The physical locations of the defective bits constituting the predetermined fault pattern are correlated with their logical addresses based on the location of the predetermined fault pattern.

Methods and devices for determining logical to physical mapping on an integrated circuit

An integrated circuit includes a set of non-volatile bits that may be programmed during multiprobe testing of the integrated circuit (IC). A defective portion of the IC is identified by testing the IC during multiprobe testing prior to packaging the IC. The IC is scrapped if the defective portion of IC does not meet repair criteria. A defect category is selected that is indicative of the defective portion, wherein the defect category is selected from a set of defect categories. The defective portion is replaced with a standby repair portion by modifying circuitry on the IC. The selected defect category is recorded in a plurality of non-volatile bits on the IC. The non-volatile bits may be read after extended testing or after end-user deployment in order to track failure rate of repaired ICs based on the defect category.

Memory repair categorization tracking

A method of stressing and screening static random access memory (SRAM) arrays to identify memory cells with bit line side pass transistor defects. After writing initial data states into the memory array under nominal bias conditions, an elevated bias voltage is applied to the memory array, for example to its power supply node. Under the elevated bias voltage, alternating data patterns are written into and read from the memory array for a selected duration. The elevated bias voltage is reduced, and a write screen is performed to identify defective memory cells. The dynamic stress of the repeated writes and reads accelerates early life failures, facilitating the write screen.

Method of stressing static random access memories for pass transistor defects

A method of screening static random access memory (SRAM) arrays to identify memory cells with bit line side pass transistor defects. After writing a known data state to the memory cells under test, a forward back-bias is applied to the load transistors of those cells. A write of the opposite data state is then performed, followed by a read of the memory cells. The process is repeated for the opposite data state.

Method of screening static random access memories for pass transistor defects

The high current capabilities of a lateral npn transistor for application as a protection device against degradation due to electrostatic discharge (ESD) events are improved by adjusting the electrical resistivity of the material through which the collector current flows from the avalanching pn-junction to the wafer backside contact. As expressed in terms of the second threshold current improvements by a factor of 4 are reported. Two implant sequences are described which apply local masking and standard implant conditions to achieve the improvements without adding to the total number of process steps. The principle of p-well engineering is extended to ESD protection devices employing SCR-type devices.

Electrostatic discharge device and method

Silicon substrate isolation by epitaxial growth of silicon through windows in a mask made of silicon nitride (,) on silicon oxide (,) with the silicon oxide etched to undercut the silicon nitride; the mask is on a silicon substrate.

Integrated circuit isolation

The invention comprises an integrated circuit including integral high and low-voltage peripheral transistors and a method for making the integrated circuit. In one aspect of the invention, a method of integrating high and low voltage transistors into a floating gate memory array comprises the steps of forming a tunnel oxide layer outwardly from a semiconductor substrate, forming a floating gate layer disposed outwardly from the tunnel oxide layer and forming an insulator layer disposed outwardly from the floating gate layer to create a first intermediate structure. The method further includes the steps of masking a first region and a second region of the first intermediate structure leaving a third region unmasked, removing at least a portion of the insulator layer, the floating gate layer and the tunnel oxide layer from the third region and forming a first dielectric layer disposed outwardly from the substrate in a region approximately coextensive with the third region. The second region and the third region are masked, leaving the first region unmasked. Then, at least a portion of the insulator layer, the floating gate layer and the tunnel oxide layer is removed from the first region. A second dielectric layer is formed outwardly from the substrate and the first dielectric layer in a region approximately coextensive with the first region and the third regions, respectively.

Process flow to integrate high and low voltage peripheral transistors with a floating gate array

A semiconductor device and method having shallow trench isolation. A pad oxide 24 and silicon 42 are formed on a substrate 20 to form a mask, and the pad oxide 24/silicon 42 mask is then patterned. Portions of the pad oxide 24/silicon 42 mask and the substrate 20 are removed to form trenches 22 in the substrate 20. A nitride fill 40 is deposited over the pad oxide 24/silicon 42 mask and the trenches 22. Advantages of the invention include a more robust STI device without central voids 34 and without edge voids 36 in the trench fill material.

Nitride trench fill process for increasing shallow trench isolation

An embodiment of the instant invention is a method of fabricating a semiconductor device which includes a dielectric layer situated between a conductive structure and a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising the steps of: forming the dielectric layer (layer 14) on the semiconductor substrate (substrate 12); forming the conductive structure (structure 18) on the dielectric layer; doping the conductive structure with boron; and doping the conductive structure with a dopant which inhibits the diffusion of boron. The semiconductor device may be a PMOS transistor or a capacitor. Preferably, the conductive structure is a gate structure. The dielectric layer is, preferably, comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of: an oxide, an oxide/oxide stack, an oxide/nitride stack, and an oxynitride. Preferably, the dopant which inhibits the diffusion of boron comprises at least one group III or group IV element. More specifically, it is preferably comprised of: carbon, germanium, and any combination thereof. Preferably, the steps of doping the conductive structure with boron and doping the conductive structure with a dopant which inhibits the diffusion of boron are accomplished substantially simultaneously, or the step of doping the conductive structure with boron is preformed prior to the step of doping the conductive structure with a dopant which inhibits the diffusion of boron are accomplished substantially simultaneously.

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McKinney, TX, United States of America

Stanton Petree Ashburn