Optimization of integrated circuit reliability

US9739824B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Carole D. Graas · Jericho, US
• Nazmul Habib · South Burlington, US
• Deborah M. Massey · Jericho, US
• John G. Massey · Jericho, US
• Pascal A. Nsame · South Burlington, US
• Ernest Y. Wu · South Burlington, US
• Emmanuel Yashchin · Yorktown Heights, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 16, 2016
• Grant date: Aug 22, 2017
• Expiry date: May 16, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R31/50
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A per-chip equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) circuit sensor resides in an integrated circuit. The per-chip EOT circuit sensor determines electrical characteristics of the integrated circuit. The measured electrical characteristics include leakage current. The determined electrical characteristics are used to determine physical attributes of the integrated circuit. The physical attributes, including EOT, are used in a reliability model to predict per-chip failure rate.