Patent classifications
G01R31/2853
METHOD OF DETECTING DEFECTIVE LAYER OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND COMPUTING SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING THE SAME
Provided is a method of detecting a defective layer. A method, performed by a computing system, of detecting a defective layer of a semiconductor device including a plurality of layers includes obtaining candidate defective layer information regarding a plurality of candidate defective layers and obtaining physical structure information regarding the candidate defective layers, dividing each of wires in the candidate defective layers into virtual micro areas based on the candidate defective layer information and based on the physical structure information, and identifying a defective layer from among the candidate defective layers according to a number of the virtual micro areas.
TESTING INTERPOSER METHOD AND APPARATUS
The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for improving silicon interposers to include test circuitry for testing stacked die mounted on the interposer. The improvement allows for the stacked die to be selectively tested by an external tester or by the test circuitry included in the interposer.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTION OF COUNTERFEIT AND CYBER ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS
Embodiments of the present invention may include a method and a system for detection of counterfeit and cyber electronic components by obtaining one or more features from a plurality of electronic components of a first type and from a plurality of N electronic components of a second type, processing the one or more features to create a unique model related to an electronic component of the first type and to an electronic component of the second type, examining a detected electronic component by obtaining one or more features of the detected electronic component, executing the unique model with the one or more features of the detected electronic component and determining if the detected electronic component is an authentic electronic component of the first type or the second type.
On-wafer S-parameter calibration method
The present application is applicable to the technical field of terahertz on-wafer measurement, and provides a new on-wafer S-parameter calibration method and device. The method includes: performing two-port calibration on a waveguide end face when a probe is not connected to a test system; performing one-port calibration on each of two probe end faces when the probe is connected to the test system; and fabricating a crosstalk calibration standard equal to a device under test in length on a substrate of the device under test, and correct a crosstalk error of the test system according to the crosstalk calibration standard. The present application can realize accurate characterization and correction of crosstalk error in a high-frequency on-wafer S-parameter calibration process, and improve the accuracy of error correction in high-frequency on-wafer S-parameter measurement.
Integrated circuit degradation estimation and time-of-failure prediction using workload and margin sensing
An integrated circuit (IC) comprising: a margin measurement circuit configured to monitor multiple data paths of the IC and to output, at different times, different ranges of remaining margins of the multiple data paths; a workload sensor configured to output a value representing aggregate operational stress experienced by the IC over a period of time ending at each of the different times; and a processor configured to: (i) compute, based on the value output by said workload sensor, an upper bound and a lower bound of change of the remaining margin of the IC, and (ii) compute upper and lower bounds of a current remaining margin of the IC, based on (a) the upper and lower bounds of change, and (b) a remaining margin indicated by a border between two adjacent ranges outputted by the margin measurement circuit.
INTEGRATED CIRCUIT I/O INTEGRITY AND DEGRADATION MONITORING
An input/output (I/O) block for a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), which includes: at least one I/O buffer, configured to define at least one signal path in respect of a connection to a remote I/O block via a communication channel, each signal path causing a respective signal edge slope; and an I/O sensor, coupled to the at least one signal path and configured to generate an output signal indicative of one or both of: (a) a timing difference between the signal edge for a first signal path and the signal edge for a second signal path, and (b) an eye pattern parameter for one or more of the at least one signal path.
Apparatuses and methods for monitoring health of probing u-bump cluster using current divider
An apparatus includes an input probe configured to be placed on a first cluster of u-bumps disposed on a semiconductor die, output probes configured to be respectively placed on multiple clusters of u-bumps disposed on the semiconductor die, the multiple clusters being separately connected to the first cluster. The apparatus further includes a space transformer and printed circuit board (PCB) portion including a current source configured to supply a current to the input probe placed on the first cluster, resistors having a same resistance and being connected to ground, and tester channels at which voltages are respectively measured, the tester channels being respectively connected to ends of the output probes respectively placed on the multiple clusters and being respectively connected to the resistors. The apparatus further includes a processor configured to determine whether the input probe is properly aligned with the first cluster, based on the measured voltages.
Chip crack detection apparatus
A chip crack detection apparatus includes a function circuit and a die crack detection module surrounding the function circuit. The die crack detection module includes a front-end-of-line device layer, a laminated structure on the front-end-of-line device layer that includes a conducting wire in the laminated structure, a detection interface, and a capacitor at the front-end-of-line device layer. A first end of the conducting wire is configured to connect to a positive electrode of a power supply. A second end of the conducting wire is configured to connect to a negative electrode of the power supply. The capacitor is connected in parallel between the first end and the second end of the conducting wire. The detection interface is coupled with the conducting wire between the first end and the second end of the conducting wire. The detection interface is configured to detect whether a die crack occurs in the chip.
Package structure and testing method
A package structure and a testing method are provided. The package structure includes a wiring structure, a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The wiring structure includes at least one dielectric layer, at least one conductive circuit layer in contact with the dielectric layer, and at least one test circuit structure in contact with the dielectric layer. The test circuit structure is disposed adjacent to the interconnection portion of the conductive circuit layer. The first electronic device is electrically connected to the wiring structure. The second electronic device is electrically connected to the wiring structure. The second electronic device is electrically connected to the first electronic device through the interconnection portion of the conductive circuit layer.
Metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitors for integrated circuit monitoring
An array of metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitors formed in an integrated circuit (IC) structure may be used for evaluating misalignments between patterned layers of the IC structure. The array of MOM capacitors may be formed in a selected set of patterned layers, e.g., a via layer formed between a pair of metal interconnect layers. The MOM capacitors may be programmed with different patterned layer alignments (e.g., built in to photomasks or reticles used to form the patterned layers) to define an array of different alignments. When the MOM capacitors are formed on the wafer, the actual patterned layer alignments capacitors may differ from the programmed layer alignments due a process-related misalignment. The MOM capacitors may be subjected to electrical testing to identify this process-related misalignment, which may be used for initiating a correcting action, e.g., adjusting a manufacturing process or discarding misaligned IC structures or devices.