# US 2014/0191235 A1 · Measuring current and resistance using combined diodes/resistor structure to monitor integrated circuit manufacturing process variations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191235 A1 - Document ID: US20140191235A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/189,682 - Filed: 2014-02-25 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-22 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Lyndon R. Logan; Edward J. Nowak; Robert R. Robison; Jonathan K. Winslow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191235A1 ## CPC - H10W 42/00: Arrangements for protection of devices (arrangements for thermal protection H10W40/00) - G01R 27/14: Measuring resistance by measuring current or voltage obtained from a reference source (G01R27/16, G01R27/20, G01R27/22 take precedence) - H10P 74/27: {Structural arrangements therefor} - H10P 74/277: {Circuits for electrically characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes, e.g. circuits in tested chips or circuits in testing wafers} - G01R 19/0092: {Measuring current only} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A plurality of diode/resistor devices are formed within an integrated circuit structure using manufacturing equipment operatively connected to a computerized machine. Each of the diode/resistor devices comprises a diode device and a resistor device integrated into a single structure. The resistance of each of the diode/resistor devices is measured during testing of the integrated circuit structure using testing equipment operatively connected to the computerized machine. The current through each of the diode/resistor devices is also measured during testing of the integrated circuit structure using the testing equipment. Then, response curves for the resistance and the current are computed as a function of variations of characteristics of transistor devices within the integrated circuit structure and/or variations of manufacturing processes of the transistor devices within the integrated circuit structure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated circuit structure comprising: a plurality of diode/resistor devices, each of said diode/resistor devices comprising: a cathode having a length dimension, sides parallel to said length dimension, and opposing ends located where said length dimension begins and terminates; and anodes positioned along said sides of said cathode; said cathode and anodes comprising a diode device, said length dimension of said cathode comprising a resistor device, connections to said anodes yielding a current measure, and connections to said ends of said cathode yielding a resistance measure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, said diode device and said resistor device within each of said diode/resistor devices being independently operable. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, each of said diode/resistor devices further comprising first contacts connected to said anodes and second contacts separate from said first contacts connected to said ends of said cathode, said current measure being measured through said first contacts and said resistance measure being measured through said second contacts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, said diode device and said resistor device within each of said diode/resistor devices sharing a diffusion region of said cathode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, said resistance measure being measured along a length of said cathode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, each of said diode/resistor devices being identical to all other diode/resistor devices. ### Claim 7 An integrated circuit structure comprising: a plurality of diode/resistor devices within each of a plurality of partitions of said integrated circuit structure, each of said diode/resistor devices comprising: a cathode having a length dimension, sides parallel to said length dimension, and opposing ends located where said length dimension begins and terminates; anodes positioned along said sides of said cathode; relatively deep diffusion regions located at said opposing ends of said cathode; and a relatively shallow diffusion region that has a depth in said integrated circuit structure that is less than said relatively deep diffusion regions, said relatively shallow diffusion region being located between said relatively deep diffusion regions, said cathode and anodes comprising a diode device, said length dimension of said cathode comprising a resistor device, connections to said anodes yielding a current measure, and connections to said relatively deep diffusion regions yielding a resistance measure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 7, said diode device and said resistor device within each of said diode/resistor devices being independently operable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 7, each of said diode/resistor devices further comprising first contacts connected to said anodes and second contacts separate from said first contacts connected to said relatively deep diffusion regions, said current measure being measured through said first contacts and said resistance measure being measured through said second contacts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 7, said diode device and said resistor device within each of said diode/resistor devices sharing said relatively shallow diffusion region of said cathode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 7 said resistance measure being measured along a length of said cathode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 7, each of said diode/resistor devices being identical to all other diode/resistor devices. ### Claim 13 An integrated circuit structure comprising: a plurality of diode/resistor devices, each of said diode/resistor devices comprising: a cathode having a length dimension, sides parallel to said length dimension, and opposing ends located where said length dimension begins and terminates; and anodes positioned along said sides of said cathode; said cathode and anodes comprising a diode device, said length dimension of said cathode comprising a resistor device, connections to said anodes yielding a current measure, and connections to said ends of said cathode yielding a resistance measure, median resistance and median current of said integrated circuit structure being based on said resistance measure and said current measure for each of said diode/resistor devices, response curves for said median resistance and said median current being computed as a function at least one of: variations of characteristics of transistor devices within said integrated circuit structure including at least one of gate length variation and spacer size variation; and variations of manufacturing processes of said transistor devices within said integrated circuit structure including at least one of rapid thermal anneal variations, and implant variations. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 13, said diode device and said resistor device within each of said diode/resistor devices being independently operable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 13, each of said diode/resistor devices further comprising first contacts connected to said anodes and second contacts separate from said first contacts connected to said ends of said cathode, said current measure being measured through said first contacts and said resistance measure being measured through said second contacts. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 13, said diode device and said resistor device within each of said diode/resistor devices sharing a diffusion region of said cathode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 13, said resistance measure being measured along a length of said cathode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 13, each of said diode/resistor devices being identical to all other diode/resistor devices.