Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Sunil Narayan Shabde

Yowjuang William Liu

Ting Yiu Tsui

Donald L Wollesen

Richard C Blish

Peng Fang

Young-Chang Joo

Yow Juang W Liu

Tsui Ting Yiu

A method ( ) of determining a doping concentration of a semiconductor material ( ) includes the steps of moving carriers ( ) in the material, wherein a number of carriers is a function of the doping concentration of the material ( ). The carriers are deflected ( ) toward a surface ( ) of the material ( ) and an accumulated charge profile on the surface of the material, due to the deflected carriers, is detected ( ) and used to calculate ( ) the doping concentration across a surface ( ) of the material ( ).

Method of determining the doping concentration across a surface of a semiconductor material

Method for determining the robustness of a device to soft errors generated by alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of estimating energies of the alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes; computing a number of electron-hole pairs generated for a predetermined distance of travel by the alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray into the device based on the estimated energies; computing the absorption coefficient in silicon for a light pulse with a predetermined wavelength; computing a first pulse width/intensity for the light pulse to generate the number of electron-hole pairs for the predetermined distance of travel by the light pulse into the device; producing the light pulse, the light pulse having a light pulse energy which is controlled by a pulse width and an intensity, wherein the pulse width/intensity is at a second pulse width/intensity which is less than the first pulse width/intensity and the light pulse energy is at a first light pulse energy which is low enough to avoid generating soft errors in the device; applying the light pulse to the device at a predetermined location; varying the light pulse energy to a second light pulse energy to generate a soft error; and detecting soft errors in the device. The present invention additionally provides an inexpensive method that would accurately simulate an alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strike in predetermined areas of a memory cell.

Method and apparatus for determining the robustness of memory cells to alpha-particle/cosmic ray induced soft errors

A method (,) of determining a doping type and a doping concentration of a semiconductor material (,) includes the steps of moving carriers (,) in the material, wherein a number of carriers is a function of the doping concentration of the material (,) and a type of carriers is a function of the doping type of the material (,). The carriers are deflected (,) toward a surface (,) of the material (,) and an accumulated charge profile on the surface of the material, due to the deflected carriers, is detected (,) and used to calculate (,) the doping concentration across a surface (,) of the material (,).

Method of determining the doping concentration and defect profile across a surface of a processed semiconductor material

The size of an internal void in an electrically conductive lead is measured by determining its electrical resistance at a plurality of A.C. frequencies, ranging from D.C. to a frequency on the order of 50 to 100 GHz at which the majority of current flows along the skin of the lead. The test data is compared with reference data for an electrically conductive reference lead having characteristics which are essentially similar to the test lead. The difference between the two sets of data increases with the size of an internal void in the test lead. The difference will be greatest at D.C. because the current will flow through substantially the entire cross-section of the lead and the cross-sectional area will be reduced by the internal void. The test data will approach the reference data as the frequency increases because the majority of the current will flow through the skin of the test lead and will be less affected by the internal void. The surface roughness of a lead caused by surface voids is measured by determining its electrical resistance at a frequency high enough that the majority of the current flows through the skin of the lead. The distance at which the surface current flows, and thereby the resistance of the lead, increase with the surface roughness.

Method for electronically measuring size of internal void in electrically conductive lead

A test system and methodology to improve the performance and reliability of critical paths including stacked NAND gates with sub-minimum channel transistors employs one or more inverter based ring oscillators to generate reliability data. The reliability data is used to calibrate an aged transistor model, which describes the hot carrier reliability of sub-minimum channel length transistors. A computer simulation uses the calibrated, aged transistor model to simulate the critical path circuitry including the stacked NAND gates.

Test system and methodology to improve stacked NAND gate based critical path performance and reliability

Apparatus and methods for determining the robustness and angle sensitivity of a device to soft errors generated by alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of producing a light pulse with a given light pulse energy; applying the light pulse to the device at a predetermined location and a predetermined angle; varying the light pulse energy; and detecting soft errors in the device. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a first fixture for supporting the device; a light source for producing a light pulse which is applied to the device at a predetermined location, the light pulse having a given light pulse energy and a given pulse energy; a second fixture for supporting the light source, wherein the first fixture and the second fixtures are movable relative to each other so that the light pulse is applied to the device at a predetermined angle; a light pulse energy varying circuit coupled to the light source and configured to vary the light pulse energy; and a detecting circuit coupled to the device and configured to detecting soft errors in the device.

Method and apparatus for determining the robustness and incident angle sensitivity of memory cells to alpha-particle/cosmic ray induced soft errors

A method (,) of determining a doping concentration of a semiconductor material (,) includes the steps of moving carriers (,) in the material, wherein a number of carriers is a function of the doping concentration of the material (,). The carriers are deflected (,) toward a surface (,) of the material (,) and an accumulated charge profile on the surface of the material, due to the deflected carriers, is detected (,) and used to calculate (,) the doping concentration across a surface (,) of the material (,).

Apparatus and methods for determining the robustness of a device to soft errors generated by alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of estimating energies of the alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes; computing a number of electron-hole pairs generated for a predetermined distance of travel by the alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray into the device based on the estimated energies; computing the absorption coefficient in silicon for a light pulse with a predetermined wavelength; computing a first pulse width/intensity for the light pulse to generate the number of electron-hole pairs for the predetermined distance of travel by the light pulse into the device; producing the light pulse, the light pulse having a light pulse energy which is controlled by a pulse width and an intensity, wherein the pulse width/intensity is at a second pulse width/intensity which is less than the first pulse width/intensity and the light pulse energy is at a first light pulse energy which is low enough to avoid generating soft errors in the device; applying the light pulse to the device at a predetermined location; varying the light pulse energy to a second light pulse energy to generate a soft error; and detecting soft errors in the device. The present invention additionally provides inexpensive methods and apparatus that would accurately simulate an alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strike in predetermined areas of a memory cell.

A system for detecting defects in an interlayer dielectric (ILD) interposed between first and second conductive lines lying adjacent each other along a first plane is provided. A processor controls general operations of the system. A voltage source adapted to apply a bias voltage between the first and second conductive lines is employed to induce a leakage current across the ILD. A light source for illuminating at least a portion of the ILD is used to enhance the leakage current. A magnetic field source applies a magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to the leakage current. The magnetic field deflects carriers in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first plane. A voltage monitor measures a voltage generated across third and fourth conductive lines, the third and fourth conductive lines lying adjacent each other along a second plane which is substantially perpendicular to the first plane. The voltage monitor is operatively coupled to the processor. The ILD is interposed between the third and fourth conductive lines. The processor determines the existence of a defect in the ILD based on the measured voltage.

System and method for detecting defects in an interlayer dielectric of a semiconductor device using the hall-effect

A method (100) and a system (150) for detecting defects in a dielectric material (112) includes the steps of moving carriers (102) in the dielectric material (112), wherein the number of carriers is a function of whether defects exist in the dielectric material (112). The carriers are then deflected (130) toward a surface (116) of the dielectric material (112) using, for example, a magnetic field (132), and form an accumulated charge profile on the surface (116) of the dielectric material (112). The charge profile is then detected (140) and used to determine (180) the location of defects within the dielectric material (112).

System and method of mapping leakage current and a defect profile of a

A system for detecting defects in an interlayer dielectric (ILD) interposed between two conductive lines is provided. The system includes a processor for controlling general operations of the system. The system also includes a voltage source adapted to apply a bias voltage between the two conductive lines and induce a leakage current across the ILD. The system employs a light source to illuminate at least a portion of the ILD and enhance the leakage current. A current source is used to measure the induced leakage current, the current source being operatively coupled to the processor. The processor determines the existence of a defect in the ILD based on the measured leakage current.

System and method for detecting defects in an interlayer dielectric of a

Apparatus and methods for determining the robustness of a device to soft errors generated by alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of producing a light pulse having a light pulse energy, applying the light pulse to the device at a predetermined location, varying the light pulse energy, and detecting soft errors in the device. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a light source for producing a light pulse that is applied to the device at a predetermined location, a light pulse energy varying circuit coupled to the light source and configured to vary the light energy of the light pulse, and a detecting circuit coupled to the device and configured to detecting soft errors in the device.

Method and apparatus for determining the robustness of memory cells to

Apparatus and methods for determining the robustness of a device to soft errors generated by alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes by measuring the charge Q.sub.c that flow through a node of an equivalent diode structure when the diode structure is impinged by a light pulse with energy equivalent to that of the alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strikes. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of producing a light pulse having a light pulse energy, the light pulse energy is at a first light pulse energy; applying the light pulse to the device at a predetermined location, the predetermined location having an area and a geometry; varying the light pulse energy to a second light pulse energy which generates a soft error; detecting soft errors in the device; providing a diode having the same area and geometry as the predetermined location; applying the light pulse with the second light pulse energy to the diode; and determining the amount of charges that flow through the diode. The present invention additionally provides inexpensive methods and apparatus that would accurately simulate an alpha-particle and/or cosmic ray strike in a predetermined area of a memory cell and for comparing different technologies and SRAM/DRAM designs by comparing this pulse energy needed to produce the soft error.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Sunil Narayan Shabde