Integrated circuit wiring
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMark E. Masters, David P. Vallett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated distribution wiring system for a semiconductor substrate having a number of devices. The distribution system includes additional stripes which are arranged parallel to existing rails carrying power or signals to the devices. These stripes being separable from the rails may be used to make engineering changes such as repairs or modifications of the circuits in the devices or characterizing or diagnosing the devices.
Claims8
An integrated circuit with a plurality of interconnecting wiring layers comprising:
- (a) a number of semiconductor devices in a major surface of a semiconductor substrate;
- (b) said plurality of interconnecting wiring layers connecting said number of semiconductor devices in said major surface of said semiconductor substrate;
- and
- (c) a dual layer distribution wiring system in the uppermost wiring layers of said integrated circuit, each layer of said dual layer distribution wiring system on a level above said semiconductor devices and co-planar with said major surface of said semiconductor substrate and arranged orthogonal to one another for making electrical connections to said number of semiconductor devices, each layer of said dual layer distribution wiring system comprising:
- a conducting rail which is connected orthogonally to a peripheral base conductor which provides power to said semiconductor devices through said plurality of interconnecting wiring layers
- a redundant and separable conducting stripe connected to said conducting rail and said base conductor to be electrically parallel to said conducting rail, said redundant conducting stripe conducting power to said semiconductor devices while connected to said conducting rail and said base conductor and when separated from said conducting rail and said base conductor said conducting stripe being electrically isolated from said conducting rail and from said semiconductor devices wherein said redundant and separable conducting stripe becomes an isolated conducting stripe which is used to provide connections to a pre-selected portion of said plurality of interconnected wiring layers whereby engineering changes are accomplished.
An integrated circuit with a plurality of interconnecting wiring layers, comprising:
- (a) a number of semiconductor devices in a major surface of a semiconductor substrate;
- (b) said plurality of interconnecting wiring layers connecting and said number of semiconductor devices in said major surface of said semiconductor substrate;
- and
- (c) a dual layer distribution wiring system in the uppermost wiring layers of said integrated circuit, each layer of said dual layer distribution wiring system on a level above said semiconductor devices and co-planar with said major surface of said semiconductor substrate and arranged orthogonal to one another for making electrical connections to said number of semiconductor devices, each layer of said dual layer distribution wiring system comprising:
- a conducting rail which carries signals and interconnects with said plurality of interconnecting wiring layers;
- and
- a redundant conducting stripe which is electrically parallel to said rail and when separated from said rail is electrically isolated from said rail and from said semiconductor devices to become an isolated conducting stripe wherein said isolated conducting stripe is electrically connected to certain pre-selected plurality of interconnecting wiring layers whereby engineering changes are accomplished.
A method of performing engineering changes to an integrated circuit having a plurality of interconnecting wiring layers connecting a number of semiconductor devices in a major surface of a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- providing electrically parallel redundant conducting stripes having test pads or test points which are initially electrically connected in parallel to a plurality of electrically conducting rails;
- severing said conducting stripes from said conducting rails to isolate the stripes from the said conducting rails;
- connecting the severed conducting stripe to a pre-selected portion of said plurality of interconnecting wiring layers;
- and
- making engineering changes to said integrated circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.