摘要:
A method of generating a lifetime projection for semiconductor devices is disclosed. The disclosed method includes collecting lifetime information from a plurality of semiconductor devices at more than one stress condition. The method also includes determining the median lifetime for semiconductor devices at each of the stress conditions. Further, the method includes calculating a lifetime at each stress condition at which a predetermined percentage of the devices will exceed and extrapolating the lifetime for devices used at operating conditions.
摘要:
A method of generating an operating condition projection corresponding to a predetermined lifetime for semiconductor devices is disclosed. The disclosed method includes collecting lifetime information from a plurality of semiconductor devices at more than one stress condition by inducing a predetermined drain-source voltage for each stress condition. The method also includes determining the median lifetime for semiconductor devices at each of the stress conditions. Further, the method includes calculating a lifetime at each stress condition at which a predetermined percentage of the devices will exceed and extrapolating the lifetime for devices used at operating conditions.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for testing semiconductors comprising shallow trench isolation (STI) edge structures. An edge intensive shallow trench isolation structure (500) is coupled to a voltage source (310) and a current profile is recorded. A planar structure (600) on the same wafer is coupled to a voltage source and a current profile is recorded. A comparison of current profiles obtained for the two types of structures may indicate the presence and/or extent of STI corner effects. More specifically, a steeper slope for a normalized current versus time plot for an STI edge intensive structure (500) compared to a slope of a normalized plot of a planar structure (600) is indicative of an increased rate of electron trapping in STI corners, which may indicate that the STI corners are too thin. In this novel manner, STI corner thickness is observed in a non-destructive, electrical test process, resulting in higher quality and greater reliability of semiconductors using STI processes.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for testing semiconductors comprising shallow trench isolation (STI) edge structures. An edge intensive shallow trench isolation structure (500) is coupled to a voltage source (310) and a current versus voltage profile is recorded. A planar structure (600) on the same wafer is coupled to a voltage source and a current versus voltage profile is recorded. An electrical stress is applied to both structures. Additional current profiles of each structure are obtained after the electrical stress. A comparison of difference current profiles obtained for the two types of structures may indicate the presence and/or the extent of STI corner effects. More specifically, a value for a normalized gate current difference for an STI edge intensive structure (500) greater than normalized gate current difference of a planar structure (600) is indicative of an increased rate of electron trapping in STI corners, which may indicate that the STI corners are too thin. In this novel manner, STI corner thickness may be observed in a non-destructive, electrical test process, resulting in higher quality and greater reliability of semiconductors using STI processes.
摘要:
Commonly, read times of a memory line are slowed due to voltage overshoot and/or voltage undershoot. To eliminate these problems, a control component can manage voltage while a leakage component manages timing of voltage. This allows for a line pre-charge that produces increase read times. The control component can implement as a variable resistor that modifies value to compensate for temperature. The leakage component can include a capacitor configuration that allows voltage to pass.
摘要:
Manners for transferring information within a flash memory device across a memory array are described. A controller retrieves information from a storage unit and then a decoder decodes the information. The information is set across a series of bitlines through a pass gate to a second controller. The bitlines are both associated with the storage unit as well as bitlines associated with other storage units. A series of transistors is associated with each bitline. Different transistors are active based on if the bitlines are associated with the currently used storage unit.
摘要:
A method of determining the active region width (10) of an active region (4) by measuring the respective capacitance values (C100, C100′, C100″) of respective composite capacitance structures (100, 100′, 100″), respectively comprising at least one capacitor element(16, 17, 18; 16′, 17′, 18″; 16″, 17″, 18″) having respective predetermined widths (Wi) for fabricating a flash memory semiconductor device, and a device thereby fabricated. The present method also comprises plotting the respective capacitance values (C100, C100′, C100″) as a quasi-linear function (CW) of the respective predetermined widths (Wi), extrapolating a calibration term (WC=0) from the quasi-linear function (CW), and subtracting the calibration term (WC=0) from the respective predetermined widths (Wi) to define and constrain the active region width (10) for facilitating device fabrication.
摘要:
A voltage regulator comprises resistor elements that mitigate variations in a program voltage (VPROG). In particular, the resistors allow copies of the voltage regulator to be fabricated more consistently across a semiconductor substrate. As such, variations in respective program voltages applied to different bitlines of a memory arrangement are mitigated. This mitigates yield loss as more devices perform as desired, thus necessitating fewer discards.
摘要:
An apparatus for measuring effects of isolation processes (280) on an oxide layer (286) in a memory device (255) is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a structure (110) comprised of an array (110c) of memory devices (255). A testing unit (120) is coupled with the structure (110). The testing unit (120) is for performing various electrical tests on the array (110c) of memory devices (255). The testing unit (120) is also for providing data regarding each memory device (255) in the array (110c) of memory devices (255). An analyzer (120) is coupled with the structure (110) for analyzing results of the various electrical tests. This determines the condition of the oxide layer (286) of each memory device (255) in the array of memory devices (110c).
摘要:
A method of determining the active region width (10) of an active region (4) by measuring the respective gate currents (Ig,100, Ig,100′, Ig,100″) of respective composite capacitance structures (100, 100′, 100″), respectively comprising at least one capacitor element (16, 17, 18; 16′, 17′, 18″; 16″, 17″, 18″) having respective predetermined widths (Wi) for fabricating a flash memory semiconductor device, and a device thereby fabricated. The present method also comprises plotting the respective gate currents (Ig,100, Ig,100 ′, Ig,100″) as a quasi-linear function (IW) of the respective predetermined widths (Wi), extrapolating a calibration term (WI=0) from the quasi-linear function (IW), and subtracting the calibration term (WIg=0) from the respective predetermined widths (Wi) to define and constrain the active region width (10) for facilitating device fabrication.