Patent · US Active

Circuit for and method of determining a process corner for a CMOS device

US8146036B1 · kind B1 · utility

3Cited by
1References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 29, 2009
Grant dateMar 27, 2012
Priority date—
Expiry dateSep 28, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L22/34
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A circuit for determining a process corner for a CMOS device of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The circuit comprises a CMOS monitoring circuit comprising an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor of the integrated circuit; reference circuit comprising elements for generating a reference voltage for an NMOS transistor and a reference voltage for a PMOS transistor; a first comparator for comparing a voltage generated by the NMOS transistor monitored by the CMOS monitoring circuit with the reference voltage for a NMOS transistor; and a second comparator for comparing a voltage generated by the PMOS transistor monitored by the CMOS monitoring circuit with the reference voltage for a PMOS transistor. A method for determining a process corner for CMOS devices of an integrated circuit is also disclosed.

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