Oscillators – Ring oscillators
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-02
2001-12-25
Mis, David (Department: 2817)
Oscillators
Ring oscillators
C331S046000, C331S143000, C324S658000, C324S676000, C324S681000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06333680
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and system for characterizing coupling capacitance between integrated circuit interconnects. The problem of characterizing on-chip wiring parameters such as per unit length capacitance and resistance associated with back end of the line(BEOL) chip technology has been in the inability to quantify process variations across the chip and/or wafer. With increased focus on fine line technology, wire to wire coupling capacitance characterization is important in BEOL process development and manufacturing.
Current measurement techniques applied to measure the capacitance and resistance are either passive or active in nature. Passive measurement techniques can characterize coupling capacitance as well as total capacitance and resistance. Unfortunately, accurate passive measurements are cumbersome due to the fact that the measuring structure has to be large to obtain accuracy in the measurement procedure and are used in limited applications for manufacturing level testing. Active techniques such as recirculating ring oscillators (RLF) can easily be applied during manufacturing testing but are limited in scope as to the information that can be derived with respect to the capacitance of the structure.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method of characterizing capacitances of a plurality of integrated circuit interconnects. The method includes coupling a first oscillator to a first integrated circuit interconnect and coupling a second oscillator to a second integrated circuit interconnect. The first oscillator is activated to characterize the sum of (i) coupling capacitance between the first integrated-circuit interconnect and the second integrated-circuit interconnect and (ii) ground capacitance between the first integrated-circuit interconnect and a ground. In addition, both of the first oscillator and the second oscillator are activated to characterize the ground capacitance between the first integrated-circuit interconnect and the ground.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4795964 (1989-01-01), Mahant-Shetti et al.
patent: 5696451 (1997-12-01), Keirn et al.
patent: 5963043 (1999-10-01), Nassif
patent: 6028989 (2000-02-01), Dansky et al.
Deutsch Alina
Nijhuis Rolf H.
Smith Howard H.
Tong Ching-Lung L.
Augspurger Lynn
Cantor & Colburn LLP
International Business Machines - Corporation
Mis David
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