Semiconductor integrated circuit failure analysis using magnetic imaging
First Claim
1. A method of characterizing an integrated circuit having a functional circuitry area and a connection area with a plurality of pins for input and output of electrical signals to the functional circuitry area, comprising the steps of:
- producing a magnetic response from the functional circuitry area by applying a predetermined electrical stimulus to at least one of the pins of the connection area,sensing the magnetic response of the functional circuitry area at each of a plurality of positions across the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit,capturing a quantitative indication of a strength of the magnetic response at each of the plurality of positions across the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit,creating a magnetic response array for the functional circuitry area based on the captured quantitative indications of the magnetic field strength at the plurality of positions, andcomparing the magnetic response array of the integrated circuit to at least one predetermined magnetic response array for a reference integrated circuit having a known characteristic; and
characterizing the integrated circuit based at least in part on the comparison between the integrated circuit and the reference integrated circuit.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Magnetic sensors are positioned adjacent a semiconductor integrated circuit under test while the circuit is subjected to selected electrical stimuli for purposes of failure analysis. The magnetic image data can be acquired from one or more selected locations about the circuit without any physical connection. By comparing the magnetic sensor information to a predetermined database of magnetic information acquired from known devices, failure modes can be identified. Conventional tester equipment can be used for providing the electrical stimuli to the device under test.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of characterizing an integrated circuit having a functional circuitry area and a connection area with a plurality of pins for input and output of electrical signals to the functional circuitry area, comprising the steps of:
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producing a magnetic response from the functional circuitry area by applying a predetermined electrical stimulus to at least one of the pins of the connection area, sensing the magnetic response of the functional circuitry area at each of a plurality of positions across the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit, capturing a quantitative indication of a strength of the magnetic response at each of the plurality of positions across the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit, creating a magnetic response array for the functional circuitry area based on the captured quantitative indications of the magnetic field strength at the plurality of positions, and comparing the magnetic response array of the integrated circuit to at least one predetermined magnetic response array for a reference integrated circuit having a known characteristic; and characterizing the integrated circuit based at least in part on the comparison between the integrated circuit and the reference integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of characterizing integrated circuits of a predetermined design, the predetermined design including a functional circuitry area and a connection area with a plurality of pins for input and output of electrical signals to the functional circuitry area, comprising the steps of:
- creating a database relating magnetic response arrays to integrated circuit characteristics, by;
analyzing at least one reference integrated circuit of the predetermined design, where the characteristics of the reference integrated circuit are known, the analysis including; producing a magnetic response from the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit by applying a predetermined electrical stimulus to at least one of the pins of the connection area, sensing the magnetic response of the functional circuitry area at each of a plurality of positions across the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit, capturing a quantitative indication of a strength of the magnetic response at each of the plurality of positions across the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit, and creating a magnetic response array for the functional circuitry area based on the captured quantitative indications of the magnetic field strength at the plurality of positions, correlating the magnetic response array produced by the analysis with the known characteristics of the integrated circuit, and storing the correlated magnetic response array and the known characteristics of the integrated circuit in a record in the database, performing the steps of analysis on an uncharacterized integrated circuit of the predetermined design, comparing the magnetic response array for the uncharacterized integrated circuit with the magnetic response arrays for the reference integrated circuits in the database, selecting a record in the database based at least in part on similarities between the magnetic response array for the uncharacterized integrated circuit and the magnetic response array in the selected record, and characterizing the uncharacterized integrated circuit based at least in part on the characteristics for the reference integrated circuit listed in the selected record. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- creating a database relating magnetic response arrays to integrated circuit characteristics, by;
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16. A testing system for characterizing an integrated circuit having a functional circuitry area and a connection area with a plurality of pins for input and output of electrical signals to the functional circuitry area, comprising:
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a socket for receiving the integrated circuits and making electrical connections to the integrated circuit, means for applying a predetermined electrical stimulus through the electrical connections of the socket to at least one of the pins of the connection area and thereby producing a magnetic response from the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit, means for sensing the magnetic response of the functional circuitry area at each of a plurality of positions across the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit, means for capturing a quantitative indication of a strength of the magnetic response at each of the plurality of positions across the functional circuitry area of the integrated circuit, means for creating a magnetic response array for the functional circuitry area based on the captured quantitative indications of the magnetic field strength at the plurality of positions, and means for comparing the magnetic response array of the integrated circuit to at least one predetermined magnetic response array for a reference integrated circuit having a known characteristic; and means for characterizing the integrated circuit based at least in part on the comparison between the integrated circuit and the reference integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification