The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 04, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 12, 1999
Kuo-Ching Huang, Kaohsiung, TW;
Chuan-Jane Chao, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Kuei-Ying Lee, Chu-Dong, TW;
Yean-Kuen Fang, Ann Nan, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
This invention relates to the characterization of integrated circuit devices and more particularly to an improved method for monitoring for unacceptable kink behavior, in the threshold voltage characteristics of FET devices, that can be caused by a tendency for reduced gate oxide thickness and reduced substrate doping concentration, along the length of channel regions bounded by STI. This is achieved by comparing a pair of drain current versus gate voltage characteristics, as a function of two values of substrate voltage. Relative voltage shifts between the two curves are compared at a value of drain current that is well below the kink and at a value of drain current that is well above the kink. The quantitative degree of kink behavior is determined by how much greater the voltage shift, corresponding to the value of drain current well above the kink, exceeds the voltage shift, corresponding to the value of drain current well below the kink.