# US 10,504,807 B2 · Time temperature monitoring system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,504,807 B2 - Document ID: US10504807B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/043,712 - Filed: 2018-07-24 - Published: 2018-12-06 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-16 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Taryn J. Davis; Jonathan R. Fry; Terence L. Kane; Christopher F. Klabes; Andrew J. Martin; Vincent J. McGahay; Kathryn E. Schlichting; Melissa A. Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504807B2 ## CPC - H10P 74/277: {Circuits for electrically characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes, e.g. circuits in tested chips or circuits in testing wafers} - G01K 3/04: in respect of time - H10P 74/207: {Electrical properties, e.g. testing or measuring of resistance, deep levels or capacitance-voltage characteristics} - H10P 74/238: {comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement} - G01K 3/10: in respect of time, e.g. reacting only to a quick change of temperature - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) ## Abstract A time temperature monitoring system and method for use with a microchip or similar structure. A disclosed system includes: an active region; a dopant source located proximate the active region; an activation system for activating a diffusion of the dopant source into the active region; and a set of electrodes embedded in the active region of the substrate, wherein the electrodes are configured to detect the diffusion in the active region at varying distances from the dopant source to provide time temperature information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A monitoring system, comprising: an active region; a dopant source located proximate the active region; an activation system for activating a diffusion of the dopant source into the active region; and a set of transistors embedded in the active region, wherein the transistors are configured to detect the diffusion in the active region at varying distances from the dopant source to provide time temperature information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The time temperature monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the dopant source comprises copper. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The time temperature monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the activation system includes circuitry for applying an electrical current between the dopant source and active region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The time temperature monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the set of transistors comprise an array of field effect transistors (FETs) located at varying distances from the dopant source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The time temperature monitoring system of claim 4, wherein a resistivity breakdown in the active region proximate a FET creates a short circuit condition within the FET rendering the FET inoperable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The time temperature monitoring system of claim 5, further comprising a monitoring system that periodically monitors the array of FETs to determine which FETs are operable and which FETS are inoperable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The time temperature monitoring system of claim 6, further comprising an analysis system that generates time temperature information based on which FETs are operable and which FETS are inoperable. ### Claim 8 A monitoring system configured to: activate a diffusion of a dopant source into an active region, the dopant source located proximate the active region; and detect, using a set of transistors embedded in the active region, the diffusion in the active region at varying distances from the dopant source to provide time temperature information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the dopant source comprises copper. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the activating includes applying an electrical current between the dopant source and the active region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the set of transistors comprise an array of field effect transistors (FETs) located at varying distances from the dopant source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The monitoring system of claim 11, further configured to periodically monitor the array of FETs to ascertain which FETs are operable and which FETS are inoperable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, further configured to generate time temperature information based on which FETs are operable and which FETS are inoperable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The monitoring system of claim 12, wherein an inoperable FET reflects a resistivity breakdown in the active region proximate the inoperable FET indicating that the dopant source has diffused beyond a contamination level. ### Claim 15 A monitoring system, comprising: an active region; a dopant source located proximate the active region; an activation system for activating a diffusion of the dopant source into the active region; and a set of electrodes embedded in the active region, wherein the electrodes are configured to measure the diffusion correlated to time and temperature in the active region at varying distances from the dopant source, and wherein the set of spatially distributed electrodes comprise an array of field effect transistors (FETs) located at varying distances from the dopant source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The monitoring system of claim 15, further comprising an interrogation system that periodically monitors the electrodes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the activating includes applying an electrical current between the dopant source and the active region. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The monitoring system of claim 15, wherein a resistivity breakdown in the active region proximate a FET creates a short circuit condition within the FET rendering the FET inoperable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring system periodically monitors the array of FETs to ascertain which FETs are operable and which FETS are inoperable, wherein time temperature information is generated based on which FETs are operable and which FETS are inoperable.