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Integrated circuit containing DOEs of GATE-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells

  • US 9,831,141 B1
  • Filed: 06/21/2016
  • Issued: 11/28/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2015
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising at least:

  • a standard cell area that includes a mix of logic cells and fill cells of different widths and uniform heights;

    wherein said integrated circuit includes at least a first Design of Experiments (DOE), said first DOE comprising at least two GATE snake-open-configured, non-contact electrical measurement (NCEM)-enabled fill cells, wherein each GATE snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises at least;

    first and second elongated conductive supply rails, formed in at least one metal layer, extending horizontally across the entire width of said cell, and configured for compatibility with corresponding supply rails contained in the logic cells of the standard cell region;

    a NCEM pad, formed in at least one conductive layer;

    a rectangular test area, defined by a first gate contact (GATECNT) feature and a second GATECNT feature;

    wherein the test area further comprises;

    at least first and second elongated GATE features, said first and second GATE features arranged in parallel and extending longitudinally in a vertical direction; and

    ,at least first and second elongated GATECNT features, arranged in parallel and extending longitudinally in the horizontal direction,wherein the GATECNT features are positioned to intersect the GATE features to form a conductive snake, having a length defined by the longitudinal extents of the GATECNT and GATE features that form the snake;

    a first conductive pathway that electrically connects the first GATECNT feature to said pad; and

    ,a second conductive pathway that electrically connects the second GATECNT feature to a permanently or virtually grounded structure;

    wherein each of the GATE snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell in the first DOE is configured to present an open circuit or excessive resistance in its GATE features as abnormally low pad-to-ground conductance or abnormally high pad-to-ground resistance, detectable by voltage contrast inspection of the pad; and

    ,wherein the GATE snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells of the first DOE differ at least in terms of the lengths of their respective snakes.

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