Integrated circuit device having process parameter measuring circuit

• US 6,489,799 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Murakami, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherry, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy
• Application Number:
  US09/559,064
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 324/765, 324/158.1, 324/769, 324/73.1, 324/763, 357/23.4, 257/48, 438/17, 438/18, 438/19
• US Class Current: 324/750.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/34 Circuits for electrically characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes, e. g. whole test die, wafers filled with test structures, on-board-devices incorporated on each die, process control monitors or pad structures thereof, devices in scribe line switching, multiplexing, gating devices G01R19/25; process control with lithography, e.g. dose control, G03F7/20; structures for alignment control by optical means G03F7/70633
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance

Abstract

External connection terminals A to D of an integrated circuit are connected to each terminal of elements 1 to 5 to be measured for a process parameter using interconnections. Among the interconnections, one to connect the base of a bipolar transistor 1 and external connection terminal B for example is provided with a switch 6. A terminal of a particular element and an external connection terminal are connected by turning on of the switch 6. Thus, a process parameter of the bipolar transistor 1 is measured using the external terminals to which each terminal of the bipolar transistor is connected.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit device, comprising:

an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit comprising at least one element serving two roles, a first of said two roles being a functional component in said integrated circuit, a second of said two roles being an element to be measured for a process parameter;

external connection terminals for interconnecting said integrated circuit and a circuit external to said integrated circuit;

interconnections for interconnecting one or more terminals of said at least one element and one or more said external connection terminals;

at least one control switch provided in said interconnections connected to said terminals of said element, said at least one control switch providing a switching between said first role and said second role such that at least one process parameter of said element can be tested using predetermined ones of said external connection terminals.

2. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein said external connection terminals are bonding pads in a wafer state.

3. The integrated circuit device according to claim 2, wherein

said first external connection terminal connected to ground, said second external connection terminal attains a high-impedance state when said control switch is in an off state, and said third external connection terminal is not connected to any of a power supply and GND.

4. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein

said element is a bipolar transistor, having an emitter connected to a first terminal of said external connection terminals, a base connected to a second terminal of said external connection terminals, and a collector connected to a third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the base and the second terminal.

5. The integrated circuit device according to claim 4, wherein

the base is also connected to the emitter through other switch.

6. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein

said element is an n-channel MOS transistor, having a source connected to a first terminal of said external connection terminals, a gate connected to a second terminal of said external connection terminals, and a drain connected to a third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the gate and the second terminal.

7. The integrated circuit device according to claim 6, wherein

the gate is also connected to the source through other switch.

8. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein

said element is a p-channel MOS transistor, having a drain connected to a first terminal of said external connection terminals, a gate connected to a second terminal of said external connection terminals, and a source connected to a third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the gate and the second terminal.

9. The integrated circuit device according to claim 8, wherein

the gate is also connected to the source through other switch.

10. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein

said element is a capacitor, having one terminal connected to a first terminal of said external connection terminals, and the other terminal connected to a second terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the other terminal and the second terminal.

11. The integrated circuit device according to claim 10, further comprising another switch connected between said first terminal and said other terminal of said capacitor.

12. The integrated circuit device according to claim 11, further comprising still other switch connected between a third terminal of said external connection terminals and said one terminal of said capacitor.

13. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein

said element is a resistor, one of the terminals of said resistor being connected to one of said external connection terminals through said control switch.

14. The integrated circuit device according to claim 13, further comprising another switch connected between other terminal of said resistor and the other terminal of said external connection terminals, which is not connected to said control switch.

15. The integrated circuit device according to claim 14, further comprising still other switch connected between the terminal of said resistor, which is connected to said control switch and still other terminal of said external connection terminals.

16. An integrated circuit device, comprising:

an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit including at least one element serving a plurality of roles, a first of said plurality of roles comprising a functional component in said integrated circuit, a second of said plurality of roles comprising an element used to measure a process parameter;

a plurality of elements to be used for measuring one or more process parameters, each said element being the same type or a different type and each said element being one of said at least one element serving said plurality of roles;

external connection terminals for connecting aid integrated circuit and a circuit external to said integrated circuit;

interconnections for respectively interconnecting one or more terminals of said elements and said external connection terminals; and

a plurality of control switches respectively provided to said interconnections connected to said one or more terminals of said elements, said control switches allowing said elements to be removed as components of said integrated circuit and used for said process parameter measurements by respectively connecting at least one of said elements to said external connection terminals.

17. The integrated circuit device according to claim 16, wherein

at least two elements of the same kind are connected in parallel.

18. The integrated circuit device according to claim 17, wherein

said elements of the same kind are bipolar transistors, each of said bipolar transistors having an emitter connected to a first terminal of said external connection terminals, a base connected to a second terminal of said external connection terminals, and a collector connected to a third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the base and the second terminal.

19. The integrated circuit device according to claim 17, wherein

said elements of the same kind are n-channel MOS transistors, each of said n-channel MOS transistors having a source connected to a first terminal of said external connection terminals, a gate connected to a second terminal of said external connection terminals, and a drain connected to a third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the gate and the second terminal.

20. The integrated circuit device according to claim 17, wherein

said elements of the same kind are p-channel MOS transistors, each of said p-channel MOS transistors having a drain connected to a first terminal of said external connection terminals, a gate connected to a second terminal of said external connection terminals, and a source connected to a third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the gate and the second terminal.

21. A method of measuring process parameters for an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit comprising a plurality of components on a substrate, said plurality of components interconnected to form a circuit performing a predetermined circuit function, said integrated circuit including at least one element serving a plurality of roles, a first of said plurality of roles comprising a functional component in said integrated circuit, a second of said plurality of roles comprising an element to be used to measure a process parameter, said integrated circuit further comprising a plurality of connection terminals to externally interface with said integrated circuit, said substrate further including at least one test switch unrelated to said predetermined circuit function, said at least one test switch being interconnected to a one of said plurality of circuit components in a manner to allow said one circuit component to be isolated from said circuit to allow a process parameter related to said component to be measured, said method comprising:

connecting said one circuit component to a test circuit external to said integrated circuit; and

measuring at least one process parameter.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said isolated component is connected during said process parameter measurement to a predetermined one or ones of said plurality of connection terminals normally used for said external interface of said integrated circuit.