Semiconductor device including power supply circuit conducting charge pumping operation

• US 6,714,065 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Komiya, Yuichiro, Mitsui, Katsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DINH THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/983,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 327/536, 327/537, 327/589, 327/534, 327/535, 365/189.09, 365/189.11, 365/201
• US Class Current: 327/537
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/073 Charge pumps of the Schenkel-type

Abstract

The boosting circuit provided in a semiconductor device includes a ring oscillator generating a pump clock having constant periods, a pump capacitor for performing a boost operation, and a pump capacitor input control unit provided between one electrode of the pump capacitor and the ring oscillator. The pump capacitor input control unit fixes one electrode of the pump capacitor to a prescribed voltage to apply stress of a desired level to the pump capacitor in response to a control signal that is activated at the time of burn-in test.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a power supply circuit generating an internal power supply voltage by a charge pumping operation,

said power supply circuit including

an oscillator generating a clock having a substantially constant period,

a pump capacitor having an oxide film, said pump capacitor being formed between a first node and a second node,

a clamping unit clamping said second node to a first voltage in a burn-in test, and

a pump capacitor input control unit provided between said oscillator and said first node, said pump capacitor input control unit being configured to apply a prescribed voltage between said first node and said second node during said burn-in test by fixing a voltage of said first node.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said pump capacitor input control unit transmits a signal based on said clock to said first node in a normal operation.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said burn-in test is conducted at a wafer level, and said prescribed voltage is set such that stress of a desired level is applied to said oxide film.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor device is configured such that said burn-in test can be conducted after said semiconductor device is packaged using a molding technique, and said prescribed voltage is set such that stress being applied to said oxide film is restricted to a prescribed level.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said pump capacitor input control unit is configured to set said first node to different voltages when a burn-in test is conducted at a wafer level and wherein said semiconductor device is packaged using a molding technique.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein said pump capacitor input control unit sets the voltage of said first node in said burn-in test conducted at the wafer level such that stress of a desired level is applied to said oxide film, and sets the voltage of said first node in said burn-in test conducted after said semiconductor device is packaged such that the stress being applied to said oxide film is restricted to a prescribed level.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said pump capacitor input control unit includes a select switch for switching a voltage setting of said first node in said burn-in test between a second voltage for applying stress of a desired level to said oxide film and a third voltage for restricting the stress being applied to said oxide film to a prescribed level.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein said third voltage is approximately equal to said first voltage.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein

said select switch has a metal interconnection selectively formed between one of a first internal node that is set to a fourth voltage in said burn-in test and a second internal node that is set to a fifth voltage and a third internal node, and

said pump capacitor input control unit selects the voltage setting of said first node in response to a voltage of said third internal node in said burn-in test.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said prescribed voltage corresponds to a power supply voltage that is set higher in said burn-in test than in a normal operation.