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US 2025/0027985 A1Published application
Stress calibration method, corresponding electronic device
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics International N.V.
InventorsEmanuele Moretti, Mauro Foppiani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A test circuit includes a set of electronic switches having a current path between a first node and a ground node, where each electronic switch has a respective control node. A set of coupling channels have one end coupled to a common test node and other ends coupled to the respective control nodes of electronic switches. A stress voltage supply source is coupled to the common test node. A set of comparator circuits includes comparator circuits having a first input node coupled, via sensing circuitry, to the control node of respective electronic switches in the set of electronic switches and having second nodes coupled to a threshold voltage node. A method of operating the test circuit is also disclosed.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- providing a set of electronic switches having a current path between a supply node and ground, wherein each electronic switch in the set of electronic switches comprises a respective control node to receive a stress test voltage;
- coupling one end of coupling channels of a set of coupling channels to a common test node and other ends of the coupling channels of the set of coupling channels to respective control nodes of electronic switches in the set of electronic switches, wherein the set of coupling channels is configured to propagate application of a test voltage from the common test node to respective control nodes of the electronic switches in the set of electronic switches;
- based on an enable calibration signal having a first logic value, coupling a first input node of comparator circuits of a set of comparator circuits to the control node of respective electronic switches in the set of electronic switches;
- providing a threshold voltage level to a second input node of comparator circuits of the set of comparator circuits;
- applying the test voltage to the common test node;
- sensing at the first input nodes of the set of comparators a set of control voltages comprising control voltages sensed at the control nodes of the electronic switches in the set of electronic switches;
- performing a set of comparisons of the set of sensed control voltages and the threshold voltage level thereby producing a set of comparison signals having the first logic value in response to sensed control voltages in the set of sensed control voltages exceeding the threshold voltage level and a second logic value in response to the sensed control voltages in the set of sensed control voltages failing to exceed the threshold voltage level;
- in response to at least one comparison signal in the set of comparison signals having the second logic value, increasing the test voltage applied at the common test node;
- interrupting performing the set of comparisons and increasing the test voltage applied at the common test node in response to each and every comparison signal in the set of comparison signals having the first logic value;
- and
- providing a value reached by the test voltage applied at the common test node as a calibrated stress test voltage value to a user circuit.
8 more elements
A test circuit comprising:
- a set of electronic switches having a current path between a first node and a ground node, wherein each electronic switch comprises a respective control node;
- a set of coupling channels having one end coupled to a common test node and other ends coupled to the respective control nodes of electronic switches;
- a stress voltage supply source coupled to the common test node;
- a threshold voltage node;
- sensing circuitry;
- and
- a set of comparator circuits comprising comparator circuits having a first input node coupled, via the sensing circuitry, to the control node of respective electronic switches in the set of electronic switches and having second nodes coupled to the threshold voltage node.
4 more elements
A test circuit, comprising:
- a set of electronic switches configured to have a current path therethrough between a first node and ground, wherein each electronic switch in the set of electronic switches comprises a respective control node to receive a calibrated stress test voltage;
- a set of coupling channels having one end coupled to a common test node and other ends coupled to respective control nodes of electronic switches in the set of electronic switches, wherein the set of coupling channels are configured to propagate application of a test voltage from the common test node to respective control nodes of the electronic switches in the set of electronic switches;
- a threshold voltage node configured to receive a threshold voltage;
- a stress voltage supply source configured to apply a calibrated stress test voltage to the common test node;
- sensing circuitry;
- and
- a set of comparator circuits comprising comparator circuits having a first input node coupled, via the sensing circuitry, to the control node of respective electronic switches in the set of electronic switches and having second nodes coupled to the threshold voltage node;
- wherein the sensing circuitry is configured to sense a set of control voltages at the control nodes of the electronic switches in the set of electronic switches;
- and
- wherein the set of comparator circuits is configured to perform a set of comparisons of the set of sensed control voltages and the threshold voltage and to produce a set of comparison signals having a first logic value in response to sensed control voltages in the set of sensed control voltages exceeding the threshold voltage and a second logic value in response to the sensed control voltages in the set of sensed control voltages failing to exceed a reference voltage.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.