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US 6,275,085 B1Granted
Comparator for determining process variations
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorPatrick J. Mullarkey
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorPatrick J. Mullarkey
Estimating the term…
A comparison circuit may be fabricated along with a primary circuit on a semiconductor substrate. The propagation delay of a comparison signal across a first path of circuit elements is compared to propagation delays of the comparison signal across a second path of delay elements. As a semiconductor fabrication process varies, the relative propagation delays across the first and second paths will vary in a manner correlative to the process variations. By monitoring the relative propagation delays, the fabrication process may be controlled to ensure that the process does not vary to an undesirable extent. Also, various programmable delay elements may be fabricated into the primary circuit, and these programmable delay elements may be activated and/or deactivated in response to the relative propagation delays of the comparison circuit.
A method of accessing processing variations of a semiconductor fabrication process, the method comprising the acts of:
An apparatus for programming delay elements in an integrated circuit, the apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.