Patent · US Expired

Method for reliability testing integrated circuit metal films

US5057441A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
0References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 29, 1990
Grant dateOct 15, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 29, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit which includes the step of evaluating the reliability of metal films in the circuit using a noise measurement technique. In one embodiment, a film portion to be tested is incorporated in a Wheatstone bridge. A relatively large direct current is passed through the film to stimulate 1/f.sup.2 noise. A relatively small alternating current is concurrently passed through the film. The bridge imbalance signal at the ac frequency is amplified and demodulated by a phase-locked amplifier, and is then frequency analyzed. The film is evaluated by comparing the resulting noise power spectrum with predetermined standards.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.