Structures for analyzing electromigration, and methods of using same
US6927080B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 28, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 9, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/2858
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention is generally directed to various structures for analyzing electromigration, and methods of using same. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a grating structure above a semiconducting substrate, the grating structure being comprised of a plurality of conductive features, forcing an electrical current through at least one of the conductive features until a resistance of the conductive feature increases by a preselected amount, and performing at least one scatterometric measurement of the conductive feature to determine a critical dimension of the conductive feature. In another illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of grating structures above a semiconducting substrate, each of the grating structures being comprised of a plurality of conductive features having the same critical dimension, the critical dimension of the features of each of the plurality of grating structures being different, and forcing an electrical current through at least one of the conductive features in each of the plurality of grating structures until a resistance of the conductive feature increases by a preselected amount.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.