System and method for measuring time dependent dielectric breakdown with a ring oscillator
US7235998B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 8, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jun 26, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 8, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/31924
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An integrated circuit, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, includes a first device under test (DUT) module coupled to a first ring oscillator module and a second DUT module coupled to a second ring oscillator module. A dielectric layer of the first DUT is stressed during a first mode, thereby causing time dependent dielectric breakdown in the first dielectric layer. A dielectric layer of the second DUT is maintained as a reference. The operating frequency of the first ring oscillator module, during a second mode, is a function of a gate leakage current of the stressed dielectric layer. The operating frequency of the second ring oscillator module, during the second mode, is a function of a gate leakage current the reference dielectric layer. The integrated circuit may also include a comparator module for generating an output signal as a function of a difference between the operating frequency of the first and second ring oscillator modules.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.