Computer-aided design and analysis of circuits and semiconductor – Nanotechnology related integrated circuit design
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-10
2001-06-26
Smith, Matthew (Department: 2825)
Computer-aided design and analysis of circuits and semiconductor
Nanotechnology related integrated circuit design
C257S263000, C438S014000, C438S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253353
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and more particularly to a method and system for providing a library for identifying V
CC
to ground shorts rapidly and easily.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Circuits formed in semiconductor devices utilize a power supply, called V
CC
, and a ground. Electrical connection is made to V
CC
and ground through metal lines in the circuits. The metal lines are typically formed in layers. The lines to V
CC
and ground are designed to be connected only through the circuits. However, the lines between V
CC
and ground may be shorted. When V
CC
is shorted to ground, the circuits in the semiconductor device do not function. Thus, detection of these shorts is desirable.
One conventional method for detecting shorts uses liquid crystals. A layer of a liquid crystal is poured on a surface of the device and power provided to the circuits of the device. The V
CC
to ground shorts may generate heat. The heat generated may cause the liquid crystal to change phase or move. Thus, the positions of the shorts in the plane of the semiconductor device may be determined. Another conventional method for detecting shorts deprocesses the semiconductor device in which the power supply, V
CC
, is shorted to ground. As the device is deprocessed layer by layer, each metal layer is investigated to determine if the short exists between lines in that layer. When the short is found, the information can be provided to those fabricating the device, and fabrication changed to reduce the likelihood of shorts.
Although the conventional methods can detect shorts, they are difficult to perform and time consuming. Liquid crystal detection requires careful control of the thickness of the liquid crystal. Liquid crystal also does not reveal in which metal layer the short is located. Thus, deprocessing may still be required. In addition, liquid crystal detection may not be capable of locating shorts which are relatively far from the surface on which the liquid crystal is placed because heat is dissipated in the device. Conventional deprocessing is also time consuming. In addition, deprocessing may inadvertently destroy the short. Thus, many semiconductor devices may need to be investigated before the location of the V
CC
to ground short can be found. Thus, conventional methods for locating V
CC
to ground shorts are time consuming and difficult to perform. Thus, it may take a relatively long time to be able to change the processes in fabrication which cause the shorts.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for easily and rapidly detecting V
CC
to ground shorts. The present invention addresses such a need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and method for detecting a type of a short of a plurality of types of shorts in a circuit in a semiconductor device. The circuit includes a plurality of power supply lines and a plurality of ground lines. The short is between at least one of the plurality of power supply lines and at least one of the plurality of ground lines. In one aspect, the method and system comprise providing a library including a plurality of sets of current-voltage characteristics. Each of the plurality of sets of current-voltage characteristics is for a particular type of short of the plurality of types of shorts. In this aspect, the method and system further comprise measuring a particular set of current-voltage characteristics of the semiconductor device and comparing the particular set of current-voltage characteristics to the plurality of sets of current-voltage characteristics in the library. The type of short may be determined based on the comparison between the particular set of current-voltage characteristics and the plurality of sets of current-voltage characteristics in the library. In another aspect, the method and system provide a tool for detecting the type of a short. In this aspect, the method and system comprise creating a plurality of types of shorts in a functioning semiconductor device, measuring a plurality of sets of current-voltage characteristics for the functioning semiconductor device, and saving the plurality of sets of current-voltage characteristics in a library.
According to the system and method disclosed herein, the present invention allows for rapid, relatively simple detection of shorts between the power supply and ground. In addition, the present invention allows for relatively simple creation of a library for short detection.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5296125 (1994-03-01), Glass et al.
patent: 5977558 (1999-11-01), Lee
patent: 6034552 (2000-03-01), Chang et al.
Oh, Soo-Young, et al.; Interconnect modeling for VLSIs; Simulation of Semiconductor Processes & Device; 1999; pp. 203-206.*
Lin, A.Y.C., et al.; “Reducing the start-up process duration for semiconductor facilities”; IEEE Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference & Workshop; 1997; p. 202.*
Jianjun, Hou, et al.; “A much simplified thyristor model in computer-aided analysis and design”; International Conference on Circuits and Systems; 1991; vol. 2, pp. 670-673.
Hulog Jose
Mahanpour Mehrdad
Advanced Micro Devices , Inc.
Sawyer Law Group LLP
Smith Matthew
Speight Jibreel
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