Integrated circuit with embedded RFID

• US 8,322,626 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Kang, Hee-Bok, Ahn, Jin-Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US13/078,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20110174886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 365/145, 438/3
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07775 the antenna being on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54433 containing identification or tracking information
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54446 Wireless electrical read out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

An integrated circuit (IC) die includes a high capacitance solid state circuit region configured to perform predetermined operations and an RFID block configured for wireless communication with an external source. The RFID block is configured to record results from a plurality of stages of a manufacturing process. The RFID block is further configured to generate an internal BIST command in response to an external command wirelessly received by the RFID. The integrated circuit die also includes a built-in self-test (BIST) block coupled to carry out testing of the high capacitance solid state circuit region in response to the internal BIST command. The RFID block is configured to be capable of storing store information relating to the testing. The RFID block is further configured to enable wireless retrieval of the test results from the testing of the high capacitance solid state circuit region.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) die comprising:

a high capacitance solid state circuit region configured to perform predetermined operations;

a RFID block comprising a FeRAM block for storing data;

an interface unit configured to transfer to the RFID block an externally-provided unique ID for wirelessly identifying the IC die, the interface unit being further configured to enable communication between the RFID block and the high capacitance solid state circuit region, the RFID block being further configured to generate an internal BIST (built-in self test) command in response to an external command received by the RFID block directly through the high capacitance solid state circuit region; and

a conductive trace extending through predetermined regions of the IC die, the conductive trace being configured as an antenna for the RFID block, wherein the RFID block is configured to receive and transmit information to an external source via the antenna;

wherein the FeRAM block stores the unique ID, at least part of test results performed in the IC die, and tracking information in the IC die, the tracking information identifying manufacturing plant in which the IC die is manufactured and process technology used to manufacture the IC die.

2. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the high capacitance solid state circuit region comprises one or more of DRAM, Flash memory, FeRAM, CPU, system on chip (SoC), and ASIC.

3. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the conductive trace extends along the periphery of the IC die.

4. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the RFID block comprises:

an analog block having a demodulator circuit configured to demodulate RF signals received via the antenna and generate command signals corresponding to the received RF signals; and

a digital block configured to receive the command signals from the demodulator block and in response generate address and control signals coupled to the FeRAM block.

5. The IC die of claim 4 wherein:

the FeRAM block is configured to receive the address and control signals from the digital block and in response provide data previously stored in the FeRAM, the provided data corresponding to the RF signals received via the antenna, and

the analog block further comprising a modulator circuit configured to modulate the data provided by the FeRAM block and generate signals to be transmitted to the external source via the antenna.

6. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the RFID block comprises:

an analog block having a demodulator circuit configured to demodulate RF signals received via the antenna and generate command signals corresponding to the received RF signals; and

a digital block configured to receive the command signals from the demodulator block and in response generate address, data and control signals coupled to the FeRAM block.

7. The IC die of claim 6 wherein the FeRAM block is configured to receive the address, data and control signals from the digital block and in response store the received data in memory locations corresponding to the received address.

8. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the RFID block further includes a voltage multiplier circuit configured to convert RF signals received via the antenna to a supply voltage for powering the RFID block.

9. The IC die of claim 8 wherein the RFID block further includes a power on reset circuit configured to detect the supply voltage and power up the RFID block when the supply voltage reaches a predetermined level.

10. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the FeRAM block comprises:

a control circuit configured to receive control signals and to determine whether the control signals correspond to a read operation or a write operation;

a memory array comprising a plurality of FeRAM cells arranged along rows and columns;

a decoder coupled to the memory array and configured to select FeRAM cells in response to address signals received by the FeRAM block;

sense amplifiers coupled to the memory array and configured to sense data stored in the selected FeRAM cells in a read operation; and

I/O buffers configured to transfer data received by the FeRAM unit to the memory array in a write operation and to output the sensed data in a read operation.

11. The IC die of claim 10 wherein FeRAM cells along each column are connected to a bitline, and each FeRAM cell comprises a transistor and a FeRAM capacitor serially connected between a bitline and a plate line PL, the transistors in FeRAM cells along a row having their gates coupled to a wordline.

12. The IC die of claim 1 further comprising:

a built-in self-test (BIST) block configured to carry out testing of the IC die when prompted to do so; and

a BIST interface unit coupled between the RFID block and the BIST block, the BIST interface unit being configured to supply commands generated by the RFID block to the BIST block, and to transfer test results from a BIST operation to the RFID block.

13. The IC of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of pins, the interface unit being further configured to facilitate data transfer between the RFID block and one or more of the plurality of pins.

14. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the IC is a die housed in a package.

15. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the IC is one of a number of dies on a wafer.

16. The IC die of claim 1 wherein the tracking information further identifies type of package in which the IC die is housed and packaging plant in which the IC die is packaged.

17. A method for increasing use efficiency of packaged IC dies each including a RFID block and an antenna to enable wireless communication with the IC die, the method comprising:

prior to packaging the IC dies, storing a unique identification code in each of the IC dies;

generating an internal BIST (built-in self test) command in response to an external command received by the RFID block wirelessly and directly through a high capacitance solid state circuit region;

testing each IC die;

storing at least part of the test results from the testing step in the corresponding IC die; and

storing tracking information in each IC die, the tracking information identifying one or more of;

manufacturing plant in which the IC die is manufactured, process technology used to manufacture the IC die, type of package in which the IC die is housed, and packaging plant in which the IC die is packaged;

wherein the unique identification code stored in each IC die together with the RFID block and the antenna of each IC die enable wireless disabling of a defective portion of a packaged IC die so that a remaining functional portion of the packaged IC die can be used.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

using the unique identification code for each IC die, wirelessly disabling only the defective portion of the packaged IC die so that a remaining functional portion of the packaged IC die can be used.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

using the unique identification code for each IC die, wirelessly identifying the defective portion of the packaged IC die.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein each IC die comprises an interface unit and a RFID block coupled to one another, wherein each unique identification code is stored in the RFID block of the corresponding IC die via the IC die'"'"'s interface unit.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein each IC die includes one or more of DRAM, Flash memory, FeRAM, CPU, system on chip (SoC), and ASIC.