Patent · US Active

Semiconductor device with fault detection function

US8497695B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
5References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 13, 2007
Grant dateJul 30, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 24, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor device (1) detecting damage to the peripheral part of a chip which could potentially grow into a defect includes: a wire (3) formed along the outer periphery of a semiconductor chip (2d) to detect damage; a detection circuit (4) provided in the semiconductor chip (2) to supply a detection signal to the wire (3) to detect a break in the wire (3); an output terminal (5) for outputting the detection signal having passed through the wire (3); an internal circuit (6) provided in the semiconductor chip (2); an output switching circuit (7) selecting either an output signal of the internal circuit (6) or the detection signal having passed the wire (3) for output to the output terminal (5); a heating element (15a) heating the peripheral part of the chip; a power supply circuit (16) supplying power to the heating element; and a temperature detection/control circuit (17) controlling the heating by the heating element. This configuration enables easy detection of damage to the chip by logic test without additional measurement terminals. The configuration also enables detection of chips which could develop a defect when packaged.

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