A method for estimating at least one electrical property of a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming the semiconductor device and at least one testing unit on a substrate, irradiating the testing unit with at least one electron beam, estimating electrons from the testing unit induced by the electron beam, and estimating the electrical property of the semiconductor device according to intensity of the estimated electrons from the testing unit.

Semiconductor devices having through-stack interconnects for facilitating connectivity testing, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a stack of semiconductor dies and a plurality of through-stack interconnects extending through the stack to electrically couple the semiconductor dies. The interconnects include functional interconnects and at least one test interconnect. The test interconnect is positioned in a portion of the stack more prone to connectivity defects than the functional interconnects. Accordingly, testing the connectivity of the test interconnect can provide an indication of the connectivity of the functional interconnects.

Moisture that is possibly present in an integrated circuit is detected autonomously by the integrated circuit itself. An interconnect region of the integrated circuit includes a metal level with a first track and a second track which are separated by a dielectric material. A detection circuit applies a potential difference between the first and second tracks. A current circulating in one of the first and second tracks in response to the potential difference is measured and compared to a threshold. If the current exceeds the threshold, this is indicative of the presence of moisture which renders said dielectric material less insulating.

Semiconductor devices having through-stack interconnects for facilitating connectivity testing, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a stack of semiconductor dies and a plurality of through-stack interconnects extending through the stack to electrically couple the semiconductor dies. The interconnects include functional interconnects and at least one test interconnect. The test interconnect is positioned in a portion of the stack more prone to connectivity defects than the functional interconnects. Accordingly, testing the connectivity of the test interconnect can provide an indication of the connectivity of the functional interconnects.

An integrated circuit (IC) includes semiconductor substrate with a metal stack including a lower, upper and a top metal layer that includes bond pads and a detection bond pad (DBP). A wirebond damage detector (WDD) includes the DBP over a first and second connected structure. The first and second connected structures both include spaced apart top segments of the upper metal layer coupled to spaced apart bottom segments of the lower metal layer. The DBP is coupled to one end of the first connected structure, and >1 metal trace is coupled to another end extending beyond the DBP to a first test pad. The second connected structure includes metal traces coupled to respective ends each extending beyond the DBP to a second test pad and to a third test pad.

Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of operating the same. A semiconductor includes a test circuit which comprises: a test transistor to be tested for time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) characteristics using a stress voltage; an input switch disposed between a voltage application node to which the stress voltage is applied and an input node which transmits the stress voltage to the test transistor; and a protection switch disposed between the input node and a ground node.

Systems and methods for monitoring copper corrosion in an integrated circuit (IC) device are disclosed. A corrosion-sensitive structure formed in the IC device may include a p-type active region adjacent an n-type active region to define a p-n junction space charge region. A copper region formed over the silicon may be connected to both the p-region and n-region by respective contacts, to thereby define a short circuit. Light incident on the p-n junction space charge region, e.g., during a CMP process, creates a current flow through the metal region via the short circuit, which drives chemical reactions that cause corrosion in the copper region. Due to the short circuit configuration, the copper region is highly sensitive to corrosion. The corrosion-sensitive structure may be arranged with less corrosion-sensitive copper structures in the IC device, with the corrosion-sensitive structure used as a proxy to monitor for copper corrosion in the IC device.

A structure of semiconductor device is provided, including a first circuit structure, formed on a first substrate. A first test pad is disposed on the first substrate. A second circuit structure is formed on a second substrate. A second test pad is disposed on the second substrate. A first bonding pad of the first circuit structure is bonded to a second bonding pad of the second circuit structure. One of the first test pad and the second test pad is an inner pad while another one of the first test pad and the second test pad is an outer pad, wherein the outer pad surrounds the inner pad.

Semiconductor devices, integrated chips, and methods of forming the same include forming a fill over a stack of semiconductor layers. The stack of semiconductor layers includes a first sacrificial layer and a set of alternating second sacrificial layers and channel layers. A dielectric fin is formed over the stack of semiconductor layers. The first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layers are etched away, leaving the channel layers supported by the dielectric fin over an exposed substrate surface. A dielectric layer is conformally deposited on the exposed substrate surface, the dielectric layer having a consistent thickness across the top surface. A conductive material is deposited over the dielectric layer.

The inventive concept provides a sensor station. The sensor station includes a body providing an inner space for storing a substrate-type sensor; a power source unit installed at the body and configured to transmit a power to the substrate-type sensor; a processing unit installed at the body and configured to process a data measured by the substrate-type sensor; and a communication unit installed at the body and configured to exchange a data with the substrate-type sensor and a server of a substrate treating system.