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. 01, 2014
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2012
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Robert Christopher Baumann, Dallas, TX (US);
John Michael Carulli, Jr., Richardson, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A method includes testing to failure a plurality of semiconductor test structures, measuring a parameter of each semiconductor test structure after experiencing a failure, and generating a cumulative probability distribution function (CPDF) of cumulative probability versus the measured parameter after failure for the plurality of semiconductor test structures. The method further includes performing simulations for a circuit having an area using a model of a transistor that mimics the failure to determine a parameter threshold value that defines a minimum acceptable performance level of the circuit, determining a cumulative probability value from the CPDF that a transistor will not have the parameter at a level below the parameter threshold value, adjusting a value of the area of the circuit based on the cumulative probability value, and computing a first reliability value based on the adjusted area value.