Electromigration monitor

US9891261B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Fen Chen · Williston, US
• Mukta G. Farooq · Hopewell Junction, US
• John A. Griesemer · Salt Point, US
• Chandrasekaran Kothandaraman · New York, US
• John M. Safran · Wappingers Falls, US
• Timothy D. Sullivan · Batavia, US
• Ping-Chuan Wang · Hopewell Junction, US
• Lijuan Zhang · Beacon, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 30, 2014
• Grant date: Feb 13, 2018
• Expiry date: Dec 8, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L2924/0002
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A structure, such as a wafer, chip, IC, design structure, etc., includes a through silicon via (TSV) and an electromigration (EM) monitor. The TSV extends completely through a semiconductor chip and the EM monitor includes a plurality of EM wires proximately arranged about the TSV perimeter. An EM testing method includes forcing electrical current through EM monitor wiring arranged in close proximity to the perimeter of the TSV, measuring an electrical resistance drop across the EM monitor wiring, determining if an electrical short exists between the EM monitor wiring and the TSV from the measured electrical resistance, and/or determining if an early electrical open or resistance increase exists within the EM monitoring wiring due to TSV induced proximity effect.