System and method for wireless and dynamic intra-process measurement of integrated circuit parameters
US8239811B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 2008 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Disclosed are embodiments of a system and a method that allow for wireless and dynamic intra-process (i.e., during and/or between process steps) measurements of integrated circuit parameters. The embodiments incorporate the use of a passive circuit, such as an inductor-capacitor-resistor (LCR) circuit resonator, that has a predetermined sensitivity to process variations in one or more physical or electrical integrated circuit parameters. The passive circuit can be wirelessly interrogated between and/or process steps. Then, the actual behavior exhibited by the passive circuit in response to the interrogation is compared to the expected behavior of an optimal circuit in the absence of process variations in order to determine the one or more parameters. Also disclosed is an embodiment of an exemplary passive circuit that can be used to implement the disclosed system and method embodiments.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.