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US 5,838,161 AGranted
Semiconductor interconnect having test structures for evaluating electrical characteristics of the interconnect
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsSalman Akram, David R. Hembree
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An interconnect for a semiconductor die includes integrally formed test structures for evaluating various electrical characteristics of the interconnect. The test structures can include Kelvin structures, van der Pauw structures, resistors, capacitors, contact chains, via chains, serpentine test structures, and antenna test structures. Among the electrical characteristics that can be evaluated are the resistivity of contact member, conductor and substrate components of the interconnect, contact resistance between the contact members and conductors and capacitance of the contact members and conductors with respect to the substrate.
Claims33
An interconnect for a semiconductor die comprising:
- a substrate;
- a contact member on the substrate, the contact member comprising a conductive layer configured to electrically contact a contact location on the die;
- a test structure on the substrate, the test structure comprising a resistor comprising a same material as the conductive layer;
- the test structure further comprising a first contact and a second contact on the substrate in electrical communication with the resistors;
- the test structure configured to evaluate a resistivity of the conductive layer, by applying a current and measuring a voltage across the first contact and the second contact.
2 more elements
An interconnect for a semiconductor die comprising:
- a substrate;
- a contact member on the substrate, the contact member comprising a first conductive layer configured to electrically engage a contact location on the die;
- a conductor on the substrate, the conductor comprising a second conductive layer in electrical contact with the first conductive layer;
- a test structure on the substrate, the test structure comprising a first layer and a second layer in electrical contact, the first layer comprising a same material as the first conductive layer, the second layer comprising a same material as the second conductive layer, the test structure further comprising a first set of contacts in electrical communication with the first layer and a second set of contacts in electrical communication with the second layer;
- the test structure configured to evaluate a contact resistance between the conductive layer and the conductor by applying a current to the first set of contacts and measuring a voltage across the second set of contacts.
2 more elements
An interconnect for a semiconductor die comprising:
- a substrate;
- a contact member on the substrate, the contact member comprising a conductive layer configured to electrically contact a contact location on the die;
- a conductor on the substrate in electrical communication with the conductive layer;
- a test structure on the substrate comprising a first layer comprising a same material as the conductive layer, and a second layer comprising a same material as the conductor;
- the test structure further comprising a first set of contacts on the substrate in electrical communication with the first layer, and a second set of contacts on the substrate in electrical communication with the second layer;
- the test structure configured to evaluate a contact resistance between the conductive layer and the conductor by applying a current to the first set of contacts and measuring a voltage across the second set of contacts.
3 more elements
An interconnect for a semiconductor die comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of contact members on the substrate, the contact members configured to electrically engage test locations on the die;
- a plurality of conductive layers on the contact members comprising a patterned first layer;
- a plurality of conductors on the substrate in electrical communication with the conductive layers, the conductors comprising a patterned second layer;
- a test structure on the substrate comprising a first portion of the patterned first layer in electrical contact with a second portion of the patterned second layer;
- the test structure further comprising a first set of contacts in electrical communication with the first portion and a second set of contacts in electrical communication with the second portion.
- the test structure configured to evaluate a contact resistance between the conductive layers and the conductors by applying a current to the first set of contacts and measuring a voltage across the second set of contacts.
4 more elements
A system for testing a semiconductor die comprising:
- a package for the die including a plurality of external leads configured for electrical connection to testing circuitry;
- an interconnect on the package, the interconnect comprising a contact member configured to establish electrical communication with a contact location on the die, the contact member comprising a conductive layer;
- a test structure on the interconnect, the test structure comprising a resistor comprising a same material as the conductive layer;
- the test structure further comprising a first contact on the interconnect in electrical communication with the resistor and with a first external lead on the package, and a second contact on the interconnect in electrical communication with the resistor and with a second external lead on the package;
- the test structure configured to evaluate a resistivity of the conductive layer by applying a current and measuring a voltage across the first external lead and the second external lead.
2 more elements
A system for testing a semiconductor die comprising:
- a package configured to retain the die, the package comprising a plurality of external leads connectable to test circuitry;
- an interconnect mounted to the package, the interconnect comprising a contact member and a conductor configured to establish electrical communication between a contact location on the die and a first external lead on the package;
- a test structure on the interconnect comprising a first layer comprising a same material as the contact member and a second layer comprising a same material as the conductor;
- the test structure further comprising a first set of contacts in electrical communication with a first set of external leads on the package and a second set of contacts in electrical communication with a second set of external leads on the package;
- the test structure configured to evaluate a contact resistance between the contact member and the conductor, by applying a applying a current to the first set of external leads and measuring a voltage across the second set of external leads.
2 more elements
An interconnect for a semiconductor die comprising:
- a substrate comprising an insulating layer;
- a contact member on the substrate, the contact member comprising a conductive layer electrically insulated from a bulk of the substrate by the insulating layer, and configured to electrically contact a contact location on the die;
- and
- a test structure on the interconnect, the test structure comprising a first plate on the substrate comprising a same material as the conductive layer, and a second plate on the substrate separated from the first plate by a same material as the insulating layer, the test structure configured to evaluate a capacitance between the conductive layer and the substrate by applying a current to the first plate and measuring an electrical potential therebetween.
1 more element
An interconnect for a semiconductor die comprising:
- a substrate;
- a contact member on the substrate configured to electrically contact a contact location on the die;
- a conductor on the substrate in electrical communication with the contact member;
- a test structure on the substrate, the test structure comprising a resistor comprising a same material as the conductor;
- the test structure further comprising a first contact and a second contact on the substrate in electrical communication with the resistor;
- the test structure configured to evaluate a resistivity of the conductor, by applying a current and measuring a voltage across the first contact and the second contact.
3 more elements
A system for testing a semiconductor die comprising:
- a package for the die including a plurality of external leads configured for electrical connection to testing circuitry;
- an interconnect on the package, the interconnect comprising a contact member configured to establish electrical communication with a contact location on the die;
- a conductor on the substrate in electrical communication with the contact member;
- a test structure on the interconnect, the test structure comprising a resistor comprising a same material as the conductor;
- the test structure further comprising a first contact on the interconnect in electrical communication with the resistor and with a first external lead on the package, and a second contact on the interconnect in electrical communication with the resistor and with a second external lead on the package;
- the test structure configured to evaluate a resistivity of the conductor by applying a current and measuring a voltage across the first external lead and the second external lead.
3 more elements
An interconnect for a semiconductor die comprising:
- a substrate comprising an insulating layer;
- a contact member on the substrate configured to electrically contact a contact location on the die;
- and
- a conductor on the substrate in electrical communication with the contact member, the conductor electrically insulated from a bulk of the substrate by the insulating layer;
- a test structure on the interconnect, the test structure comprising a first plate on the substrate comprising a same material as the conductor, and a second plate on the substrate separated from the first plate by a same material as the insulating layer, the test structure configured to evaluate a capacitance between the conductor and the substrate by applying a current to the first plate and measuring an electrical potential therebetween.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.