Integrated laser voltage probe pad for measuring dc or low frequency ac electrical parameters with laser based optical probing techniques

Abstract

A semiconductor or integrated circuit block including a sense node and a converter circuit, in which the sense node develops a low frequency electrical parameter that is constant or varies at a frequency below a predetermined frequency level, and in which the converter circuit converts the low frequency electrical parameter into an alternating electrical parameter having a frequency at or above the predetermined frequency level sufficient to modulate a laser beam focused within a laser probe area of the converter circuit. The converter may include a ring oscillator, a switch circuit controlled by a clock enable signal, a capacitor having a charge rate based on the low frequency electrical parameter, etc. The laser probe area has a frequency level based on a level of the low frequency electrical parameter to modulate the reflected laser beam for measurement of the electrical parameter by a laser voltage probe test system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.