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:
Jan. 27, 2009
Filed:
Feb. 18, 2005
Georg Erhard Eggers, München, DE;
Stephan Schröder, München, DE;
Manfred Pröll, Dorfen, DE;
Herbert Benzinger, München, DE;
Georg Erhard Eggers, München, DE;
Stephan Schröder, München, DE;
Manfred Pröll, Dorfen, DE;
Herbert Benzinger, München, DE;
Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, DE;
Abstract
Semiconductor memories () have segmented word lines (), which in each case have a main word line () made of a conductive metal and a plurality of interconnect segments () coupled to the main word line (), which are coupled to the respective main word line () in each case via at least one contact hole filling (). If one of the contact hole fillings () is defective or at high resistance then functional errors of the semiconductor memory occur. The interconnect segments () of two respective word lines () can be short-circuited in pairs with the aid of switching units (), whereby a static current (I) that flows via the contact hole fillings () can be used for electrically stressing the contact hole fillings (). Electrical stressing of contact hole fillings of segmented word lines is thus made possible.