Semiconductor defect monitor for diagnosing processing-induced defects
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A semi-conductof-processing defect monitor comprising:
- a conductive line;
a plurality of column lines connectable to column decoder circuitry;
a plurality of row lines connectable to row decoder circuitry; and
a plurality of test cells, each respective test cell being provided at a different location along the length of said conductive line, each said respective test cell comprising transistor means connected to said conductive line and to a different combination of one of said row lines and one of said column lines, such that said row lines, said column lines and said transistor means of said test cells are used to facilitate selective electrical access to different lengths of said conductive line.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor-processing defect monitor construction for diagnosing processing-induced defects. The semiconductor-processing defect monitor utilizes an array layout and includes continuity defect monitoring structures and short-circuit defect monitoring structures. Once a defect has been indicated by a testing operation, the array layout associated with the defect monitor can be used quickly to determine the approximate location of the known defect, thereby facilitating prompt visual observation of the known defect and, thus, prompt determination of the appropriate corrective action to be applied before substantial continued manufacturing has occurred.
78 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A semi-conductof-processing defect monitor comprising:
-
a conductive line; a plurality of column lines connectable to column decoder circuitry; a plurality of row lines connectable to row decoder circuitry; and a plurality of test cells, each respective test cell being provided at a different location along the length of said conductive line, each said respective test cell comprising transistor means connected to said conductive line and to a different combination of one of said row lines and one of said column lines, such that said row lines, said column lines and said transistor means of said test cells are used to facilitate selective electrical access to different lengths of said conductive line.
-
-
2. A semiconductor-processing defect monitor comprising:
-
a conductive line; a plurality of column lines connectable to column decoder circuitry; a plurality of row lines connectable to row decoder circuitry; and a matrix of test cells arranged in columns and rows, each individual test cell comprising transistor means connected to a different combination of one of said column line and one of said row lines, and to a different location along the length of the conductive line, such that said column line, said row line, and said transistor means are used to facilitate selective electrical access to a different length of said conductive line.
-
-
3. A semiconductor-processing defect monitor comprising:
-
a plurality of cells arranged in columns and rows, each of said cells including first and second serially connected transistors, each transistor having first and second current-carrying electrodes and a control electrode; a first plurality of conductive lines, a respective one of said lines being connected to the control electrode of each of said first transistors in a column; a second plurality of conductive lines, a respective one of said second lines being connected to one of said current-carrying electrodes of each of said first transistors in a row; a third conductive line connected to one of said current-carrying electrodes of at least a portion of said second transistors; and a fourth conductive line connected to the control electrode of at least a portion of said second transistors. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A semiconductor-processing defect monitor comprising:
-
a matrix of test cells arranged in columns and rows, each of said test cells comprising a test node; a plurality of column lines connectable to column decoder circuitry; a plurality of row lines connectable to row decoder circuitry; first transistor means in each of said test cells, said first transistor means being connected to one of said column lines, to one of said row lines, and to said test node of the respective test cell, such that said row line, said column line and said first transistor means are used to selectively access the test node of each of said test cells; a first and a second conductive line provided in close proximity to the individual test cells of at least a portion of said matrix; and second transistor means in the individual test cells of at least a portion of said matrix, said second transistor means being connected to said first and second conductive lines and to said test node of the respective test cell, such that said first and second conductive lines and said second transistor means are used to provide access to the test nodes of the test cells of at least a portion of said matrix. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification