Use of redundant circuits to improve the reliability of an integrated circuit
First Claim
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1. A method for improving yield and reliability in a manufactured integrated circuit incorporating redundant circuits, comprising the steps of:
- testing the integrated circuit for defects to identify defective portions of the integrated circuit, wherein the defective portions define a pattern;
analyzing the pattern of the defective portions of the integrated circuit by comparing the pattern of the defective portions with a predetermined pattern of an integrated circuit including a latent defect for causing a subsequent failure of the integrated circuit, and identifying non-defective portions of the integrated circuit corresponding to the predetermined pattern of the integrated circuit including the latent defect;
replacing the defective portions of the integrated circuit with the redundant circuits; and
replacing the non-defective portions of the integrated circuit corresponding to the predetermined pattern with additional redundant circuits.
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Abstract
To improve both the yield and the reliability of manufactured integrated circuits incorporating redundancy circuits, unused redundancy circuits are additionally used to bracket a defective circuit or circuits identified through production testing by replacing adjacent circuits which have tested satisfactorily and which would otherwise not be replaced, but which are considered to be prone to subsequent failure.
41 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for improving yield and reliability in a manufactured integrated circuit incorporating redundant circuits, comprising the steps of:
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testing the integrated circuit for defects to identify defective portions of the integrated circuit, wherein the defective portions define a pattern; analyzing the pattern of the defective portions of the integrated circuit by comparing the pattern of the defective portions with a predetermined pattern of an integrated circuit including a latent defect for causing a subsequent failure of the integrated circuit, and identifying non-defective portions of the integrated circuit corresponding to the predetermined pattern of the integrated circuit including the latent defect; replacing the defective portions of the integrated circuit with the redundant circuits; and replacing the non-defective portions of the integrated circuit corresponding to the predetermined pattern with additional redundant circuits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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- 16. A manufactured integrated circuit of improved yield and reliability which comprises an operative circuit including non-defective portions, and redundant circuits for replacing defective portions of the operative circuit, wherein the defective portions of the integrated circuit correspond to a predetermined pattern of an integrated circuit including a latent defect for causing a subsequent failure of the integrated circuit, wherein the predetermined pattern includes portions which correspond to the non-defective portions of the integrated circuit, and wherein the non-defective portions of the integrated circuit corresponding to the predetermined pattern are replaced with additional redundant circuits.
Specification