Device for determining the mask version utilized for each metal layer of an integrated circuit
US7120886B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 30, 2003 |
| Grant date | Oct 10, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 10, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A device for determining the version of metal mask utilized for producing a given metal layer (Metal3) in an integrated circuit including a plurality of metal layers (Metal0, . . . , Metal3), and any modification made to the given metal layer (Metal3) requiring generation of a new version of the corresponding metal mask. The device includes a cell (Cell) integrated into the metal layer (Metal3) including at least a first voltage source (Vdd) for supplying a first voltage level, at least a second voltage source (GND) for supplying a second voltage level, and an output bus composed of at least one conductor wire (S1, S2) connected selectively to one of the first and second voltage sources as a function of the version of metal mask used to produce the metal layer, so as to generate a binary output signal representative of the mask version utilized.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.