Patent · US Active

Real-time on-chip EM performance monitoring

US8890556B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
20References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 26, 2011
Grant dateNov 18, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 21, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/3004
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An integrated circuit, testing structure, and method for monitoring electro-migration (EM) performance. A method is described that includes method for measuring on-chip electro-migration (EM) performance, including: providing a first on-chip sensor continuously powered with a stress current; providing a second on-chip sensor that is powered only during measurement cycles with a nominal current; obtaining a first resistance measurement from the first on-chip sensor and a second resistance measurement from the second on-chip sensor during each of a series of measurement cycles; and processing the first and second resistance measurements.

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