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. 20, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 13, 2002
Indrajit Manna, Singapore, SG;
Lo Keng Foo, Singapore, SG;
Guo Qiang, Singapore, SG;
Zeng Xu, Singapore, SG;
Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd., Singapore, SG;
Abstract
A first on-chip test structure monitors hot carrier degradation. A degrading ring oscillator is subjected to hot carrier effects while a non-degrading ring oscillator is not. As the device ages, hot carrier effects degrade the degrading ring counter. The second test structure monitors TDDB degradation. A plurality of N parallel connected capacitors have a stress voltage applied to them such that the time to failure of the first capacitor is the same that experienced by percentage of gates under normal usage. A drop in the resistance indicates breakdown of a capacitor. The third test structure monitors electromigration degradation. M minimum width metal lines are connected in parallel. A current is applied such that the time to failure of all metal lines is the same as that experienced by a percentage of minimum width metal lines under normal usage. An increase in resistance indicates breakdown of a metal line.