Circuit for testing the operation of a semiconductor device

• US 5,867,033 A
• Filed: 05/24/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sporck, A. Nicholas, Henson, Roy J., Torgerson, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, GLENN WARNER
• Application Number:
  US08/653,321
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 324/763, 324/765, 324/766, 257/48, 438/17, 438/18
• US Class Current: 324/750.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2884 using dedicated test connectors, test elements or test circuits on the IC under test G01R31/2855 takes precedence

Abstract

A circuit for testing a semiconductor device, which has an oscillator for producing pulses when energized. A control circuit receives a test signal, a clock signal having pulses, and a reset signal, and energizes the oscillator for a predetermined length of time in response to the test signal. A counter detects the pulses produced by the oscillator, and produces counter signals which indicate the number of pulses detected by the counter. An output detector receives the counter signals and produces an output signal when the counter signals indicate that the number of pulses detected is equal to a predetermined number. However, the number of pulses produced by the oscillator during the predetermined length of time is preferably less than the predetermined number. The control circuit provides the clock signal to the counter after the predetermined length of time, until the output of the output detector indicates that the predetermined number of pulses has been detected. The control circuit resets the counter in response to the reset signal.

Claims

1. A circuit responsive to a test signal, for testing a semiconductor device, comprising:

an input for receiving the test signal,

an oscillator formed on the semiconductor device for producing oscillator pulses, when the oscillator is energized, having a frequency corresponding to operational characteristics of the semiconductor device,

a control circuit for responding to the test signal from the input and energizing the oscillator for a predetermined length of time,

a counter for receiving and counting the oscillator pulses from the oscillator and producing a count corresponding to the number of oscillator pulses received by the counter during the predetermined length of time, and

an output circuit for producing an output corresponding to the count indicating at least one of the operational characteristics of the semiconductor device.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the output circuit comprises a comparator for comparing the count to a predetermined number, for producing a first output when the count is not equal to the predetermined number and for producing a second output when the count is equal to the predetermined number.

3. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising:

the semiconductor device having NMOS gates, upon which at least one of the operational characteristics is based, and

the oscillator having at least one NMOS gate having a switching frequency that fixes the frequency of the oscillator, whereby the count indicates the switching frequency of the NMOS gate and thereby indicates the at least one operational characteristic of the NMOS gates of the semiconductor device.

4. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising:

the semiconductor device having PMOS gates, upon which at least one of the operational characteristics is based, and

the oscillator having at least one PMOS gate having a switching frequency that fixes the frequency of the oscillator, whereby the count indicates the switching frequency of the PMOS gate and thereby indicates the at least one operational characteristic of the PMOS gates of the semiconductor device.

5. A circuit responsive to test signals, for testing a semiconductor device, comprising:

an input for receiving the test signals,

a first oscillator formed on the semiconductor device for producing first oscillator pulses, when the first oscillator is energized, having a first frequency corresponding to operational characteristics of the semiconductor device,

the first oscillator having at least one NMOS gate having a switching frequency that fixes the first frequency of the first oscillator,

the semiconductor device having NMOS gates, upon which at least one of the operational characteristics is based,

a second oscillator formed on the semiconductor device for producing second oscillator pulses, when the second oscillator is energized, having a second frequency corresponding to operational characteristics of the semiconductor device,

the second oscillator having at least one PMOS gate having a switching frequency that fixes the second frequency of the second oscillator,

the semiconductor device having PMOS gates, upon which at least one of the operational characteristics is based,

a control circuit for responding to the test signals from the input and energizing each of the oscillators for a predetermined length of time,

a counter for receiving and counting the first and second oscillator pulses from the first and second oscillators and producing first and second counts corresponding to the number of first and second oscillator pulses, respectively, received by the counter during the predetermined lengths of time, and

an output circuit for producing first and second outputs corresponding to the first and second counts for independently indicating exactly the operational characteristics of the NMOS gates and the PMOS gates of the semiconductor device, and for providing the first and second outputs on a single output line.

6. The circuit of claim 5 further comprising:

the operational characteristics to which the first frequency corresponds being NMOS gate speed, and

the operational characteristics to which the second frequency corresponds being PMOS gate speed.

7. A circuit for testing a semiconductor device comprising:

an oscillator for producing pulses when energized,

a control circuit for receiving a test signal, a clock signal having pulses, and a reset signal,

the control circuit for energizing for a predetermined length of time the oscillator in response to the test signal,

a counter for detecting the pulses produced by the oscillator and producing counter signals indicating the number of pulses detected, the control circuit for resetting the counter in response to the reset signal,

an output detector for receiving the counter signals and producing an output signal when the counter signals indicate that the number of pulses detected is equal to a predetermined number, and

the control circuit for providing the clock signal to the counter after the predetermined length of time, until the output signal indicates that the predetermined number of pulses has been detected.

8. The circuit of claim 7 wherein the oscillator further comprises a ring oscillator having an odd number of at least three invertors.

9. The circuit of claim 8 wherein each invertor has two PMOS gates and one NMOS gate.

10. The circuit of claim 9 wherein the two PMOS gates are relatively weaker than the one NMOS gate.

11. The circuit of claim 8 wherein each invertor has two NMOS gates and one PMOS gate.

12. The circuit of claim 11 wherein the two NMOS gates are relatively weaker than the one PMOS gate.

13. The circuit of claim 7 wherein the counter further comprises a ripple counter.

14. The circuit of claim 7 wherein the output detector further comprises an AND gate.

15. A circuit for testing a semiconductor device comprising:

a first ring oscillator for measuring switching speed of PMOS gates and producing pulses when selected and energized,

a second ring oscillator for measuring switching speed of NMOS gates and producing pulses when selected and energized,

a control circuit for receiving a test signal, a clock signal having pulses, a first selection signal, a second selection signal, and a reset signal,

the control circuit for selecting one of the first ring oscillator and the second ring oscillator in response to the first selection signal and the second selection signal,

the control circuit for energizing for a predetermined length of time the selected one of the first ring oscillator and the second ring oscillator in response to the test signal,

a ripple counter for detecting the pulses produced by the selected one of the first ring oscillator and the second ring oscillator and producing counter signals indicating the number of pulses detected,

the control circuit for resetting the ripple counter in response to the reset signal,

an AND gate for receiving the counter signals and producing an output signal on a single output line when the counter signals indicate that the number of pulses detected is equal to a predetermined number, and

the control circuit for providing the clock signal to the ripple counter after the predetermined length of time, until the output signal indicates that the predetermined number of pulses has been detected.

16. The circuit of claim 15 wherein the first ring oscillator further comprises an odd number of at least three invertors.

17. The circuit of claim 16 wherein each invertor has two PMOS gates and one NMOS gate.

18. The circuit of claim 17 wherein the two PMOS gates are relatively weaker than the one NMOS gate.

19. The circuit of claim 15 wherein the second ring oscillator further comprises an odd number of at least three invertors.

20. The circuit of claim 19 wherein each invertor has two NMOS gates and one PMOS gate.

21. The circuit of claim 20 wherein the two NMOS gates are relatively weaker than the one PMOS gate.

22. A packaged CMOS semiconductor device of the type having NMOS gates having a gate speed and PMOS gates having a gate speed, the improvement comprising an integrated process monitor circuit having:

an input for receiving test signals,

a first oscillator for producing first oscillator pulses when the first oscillator is energized, having at least one NMOS gate having a switching frequency that fixes a first frequency of the first oscillator, the first frequency corresponding to the NMOS gate speed of the CMOS semiconductor device,

a second oscillator for producing second oscillator pulses when the second oscillator is energized, having at least one PMOS gate having a switching frequency that fixes a second frequency of the second oscillator, the second frequency corresponding to the PMOS gate speed of the CMOS semiconductor device,

a control circuit for responding to the test signals from the input and energizing the oscillators for a predetermined length of time,

a counter for receiving and counting the first and second oscillator pulses from the first and second oscillators and producing first and second counts corresponding to the number of first and second oscillator pulses, respectively, received by the counter during the predetermined length of time, and

an output circuit for producing first and second outputs corresponding to the first and second counts for independently indicating exactly the NMOS gate speed and the PMOS gate speed of the CMOS semiconductor device, and for providing the first and second outputs on a single output line.

23. A circuit for testing a semiconductor device comprising:

a tester for providing a test signal, clock pulses, and a reset signal,

an oscillator for producing pulses when energized,

a control circuit for receiving the test signal, the clock pulses, and the reset signal,

the control circuit for energizing for a predetermined length of time the oscillator in response to the test signal,

a counter for detecting the pulses produced by the oscillator and producing counter signals indicating the number of pulses detected,

an output detector for receiving the counter signals and producing an output signal when the counter signals indicate that the number of pulses detected is equal to a predetermined number,

the control circuit for providing the clock pulses to the counter after the predetermined length of time, until the output signal indicates that the predetermined number of pulses has been detected,

the tester for counting the clock pulses provided to the counter by the control circuit to produce a number of clock pulses, for subtracting the number of clock pulses from the predetermined number to produce a difference, and for dividing the difference by the predetermined length of time to produce a frequency, and

the control circuit for resetting the counter in response to the reset signal.

24. A method of testing a semiconductor device comprising:

resetting a counter,

energizing an oscillator for a predetermined length of time,

producing pulses with the energized oscillator,

counting the pulses produced with the energized oscillator within the predetermined length of time using the counter,

sending clock pulses to the counter at the end of the predetermined length of time, until the counter indicates that a predetermined total number of clock pulses and pulses from the oscillator have been counted,

counting the clock pulses sent to the counter,

subtracting the number of clock pulses sent to the counter from the predetermined number to produce a difference,

dividing the difference by the predetermined length of time to produce a frequency, and

evaluating the semiconductor device based on the frequency.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

scrapping the semiconductor device when the frequency is below a first specified value,

scrapping the semiconductor device when the frequency is above a second specified value, and

processing the semiconductor device further when the frequency is between the first and second specified values.

26. A method of testing a semiconductor device comprising:

resetting a ripple counter,

selecting a first of two ring oscillators, one of which produces pulses in proportion to PMOS gate speed when selected and energized, and the other of which produces pulses in proportion to NMOS gate speed when selected and energized,

energizing the first selected ring oscillator for a first predetermined length of time,

producing pulses with the first selected and energized ring oscillator,

counting the pulses produced with the first selected and energized ring oscillator within the first predetermined length of time using the ripple counter,

sending clock pulses to the ripple counter at the end of the first predetermined length of time, until the ripple counter indicates, by providing a first output on a single line, that a first predetermined total number of clock pulses and pulses from the first selected ring oscillator have been counted,

counting the clock pulses sent to the ripple counter,

subtracting the number of clock pulses sent to the ripple counter from the first predetermined number to produce a first difference,

dividing the first difference by the first predetermined length of time to produce a first frequency,

resetting the ripple counter,

selecting a second of the two ring oscillators,

energizing the second selected ring oscillator for a second predetermined length of time,

producing pulses with the second selected and energized ring oscillator,

counting the pulses produced with the second selected and energized ring oscillator within the second predetermined length of time using the ripple counter,

sending clock pulses to the ripple counter at the end of the second predetermined length of time, until the ripple counter indicates, by providing a second output on the single line, that a second predetermined total number of clock pulses and pulses from the second selected ring oscillator have been counted,

counting the clock pulses sent to the ripple counter,

subtracting the number of clock pulses sent to the ripple counter from the second predetermined number to produce a second difference, and

dividing the second difference by the second predetermined length of time to produce a second frequency.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

scrapping the semiconductor device when the first frequency is below a first specified value,

scrapping the semiconductor device when the first frequency is above a second specified value,

processing the semiconductor device further when the first frequency is between the first and second specified values,

scrapping the semiconductor device when the second frequency is below a third specified value,

scrapping the semiconductor device when the second frequency is above a fourth specified value, and

processing the semiconductor device further when the second frequency is between the third and fourth specified values.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the first predetermined time is the same as the second predetermined time.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the first predetermined number is the same as the second predetermined number.