Test structure for determination of TSV depth

US8232115B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Hanyi Ding · Colchester, US
• Kai D. Feng · South Burlington, US
• Ping-Chuan Wang · Hopewell Junction, US
• Zhijian Yang · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 25, 2009
• Grant date: Jul 31, 2012
• Expiry date: Apr 28, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/76898
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A test structure for a through-silicon-via (TSV) in a semiconductor chip includes a first contact, the first contact being electrically connected to a first TSV; and a second contact, wherein the first contact, second contact, and the first TSV form a first channel, and a depth of the first TSV is determined based on a resistance of the first channel. A method of determining a depth of a through-silicon-via (TSV) in a semiconductor chip includes etching a first TSV into the semiconductor chip; forming a first channel, the first channel comprising the first TSV, a first contact electrically connected to the first TSV, and a second contact; connecting a current source to the second contact; determining a resistance across the first channel; and determining a depth of the first TSV based on the resistance of the first channel.