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US 6,446,226 B1Granted
Programmable pulse generator and method for using same
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsThomas W. Voshell, R. Brent Lindsay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is described for providing pulses to test a semiconductor device, such as a memory device. The system includes several voltage sources, each voltage source being coupled to an output terminal through a pass gate. A control logic circuit provides a control signal to each of the pass gates to render the pass gates conductive in a sequence. A voltage generated by each voltage source is coupled to the output terminal in a sequence to generate a series of pulses at the output terminal. Each of the voltage sources may be a programmable digital-to-analog converter receiving a voltage control signal and generating a voltage based on the voltage control signal.
Claims60
A method for providing a variable voltage to an input terminal of an electrical device comprising:
- providing a first voltage to an input terminal of a first electronic switch;
- providing a second voltage to an input terminal of a second electronic switch;
- and
- sequentially enabling each of the electronic switches to conduct so that the first electronic switch couples the first voltage to the input terminal of the electrical device while the second electronic switch isolates the second voltage from the input terminal of the electrical device, and the second electronic switch then couples the second voltage to the input terminal of the electrical device while the first electronic switch isolates the first voltage from the input terminal of the electrical device.
1 more element
A method for testing a semiconductor device having an input terminal comprising:
- providing a plurality of voltage sources each having a different voltage level;
- coupling each voltage source to an input terminal of a respective electronic switch;
- coupling an output terminal of each electronic switch to the input terminal of the semiconductor device;
- and
- rendering selected ones of the electronic switches conductive in a sequence to couple selected ones of the voltage sources to the input terminal of the semiconductor device in a sequence.
2 more elements
A method for testing a semiconductor device having an input terminal comprising:
- coupling each of a plurality of electronic switches between a respective one of a plurality of differentiated, voltage sources and the input terminal of the semiconductor device;
- and
- controlling each of the electronic switches to be rendered conductive or nonconductive in a sequence to couple selected ones of the voltage sources to the input terminal of the semiconductor device in a sequence.
A method for providing a variable voltage to an input terminal of an electrical device comprising:
- providing a first voltage to an input terminal of a first electronic switch, the first voltage having a voltage level in accordance with a first voltage control signal;
- providing a second voltage to- an input terminal of a second electronic switch, the second voltage having a voltage level in accordance with a second voltage control signal;
- and
- enabling the electronic switches to conduct to alternately couple the first voltage to the input terminal of the electrical device while the second voltage is isolated from the input terminal of the electrical device, and couple the second voltage to the input terminal of the electrical device while the first voltage is isolated from the input terminal of the electrical device.
1 more element
A method for testing a semiconductor device having an input terminal comprising:
- providing a plurality of voltage sources each having a different voltage level, the voltage level of each voltage source determined by a respective voltage control signal;
- generating a plurality of voltage control signals to regulate the voltage level of each voltage source;
- coupling each voltage source to an input terminal of a respective electronic switch;
- coupling an output terminal of each electronic switch to the input terminal of the semiconductor device;
- and
- rendering selected ones of the electronic switches conductive to couple selected. ones of the voltage sources to the input terminal of the semiconductor device in a sequence.
3 more elements
A method for testing a semiconductor device having an input terminal comprising:
- coupling each of a plurality of electronic switches between a respective one of a plurality of programmable voltage sources and the input terminal of the semiconductor device;
- and
- controlling the output voltage level of each programmable voltage source and further controlling each of the electronic switches to be rendered conductive or nonconductive to couple selected ones of the voltage sources to the input terminal of the semiconductor device.
A variable voltage generator for providing a variable voltage to an input terminal of a semiconductor device comprising:
- a plurality of voltage sources each having a different voltage level, each voltage source having a voltage control terminal;
- a plurality of electronic switches, each electronic switch having an input terminal coupled to a respective one of the voltage sources, a control terminal, and an output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the semiconductor device;
- and
- a control logic circuit having a plurality of outputs, a first portion of the outputs coupled to the control terminal of a respective one of the electronic switches and a second portion of the outputs coupled to the voltage control terminal of a respective one of the voltage sources, the control logic circuit being structured to generate a plurality of control signals and a plurality of voltage control signals, each control signal being coupled to the control terminal of a respective one of the electronic switches through one of the outputs, and each voltage control signal being coupled to the voltage control terminal of a respective one of the voltage sources, the voltage level of each voltage source being regulated based on the voltage control signal coupled to the voltage control signal input of the voltage source.
1 more element
A pulse generator for providing pulses to an input terminal of a semiconductor device comprising:
- a plurality of electronic switches, each electronic switch having a control terminal, an input terminal, and an output terminal, the output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the semiconductor device and the input terminal coupled to a respective one of a plurality of programmable voltage sources;
- and
- a control logic circuit having a plurality of outputs, a first portion of the outputs coupled to the control terminal of a respective one of the electronic switches and a second portion of the outputs coupled to a respective one of the programmable voltage sources, the control logic circuit being structured to render selected ones of the electronic switches conductive and further structured to regulate the voltage level of each of the programmable voltage sources by providing to each of the programmable voltage sources a respective voltage control signal through a respective output of the second portion of outputs.
A programmable pulse generator for generating pulses having programmable voltage levels and providing the pulses to an electrical device, the programmable pulse generator comprising:
- a plurality of programmable voltage sources each having a voltage control signal input coupled to receive a voltage control signal and a voltage output, each programmable voltage source being structured to provide a programmed voltage at its voltage output based on the voltage control signal it receives;
- a plurality of electronic switches each having an output terminal, a control terminal coupled to receive a control signal which controls a conductive state of the electronic switch, and an input terminal coupled to the voltage output of a respective one of the programmable voltage sources to receive its programmed voltage;
- a pulse output terminal coupled to the output terminal of each of the electronic switches;
- and
- a control logic circuit having a plurality of outputs, each of a first group of the outputs being coupled to the control terminal of a respective one of the electronic switches to provide the control signal to the electronic switch, and each of a second group of the outputs being coupled to the voltage control signal input of a respective one of the programmable voltage sources to provide the voltage control signal.
2 more elements
A variable voltage generator for providing a variable voltage to an input terminal of a semiconductor device comprising:
- a plurality of voltage sources each having a different voltage level, each voltage source having a voltage control terminal coupled to a reference voltage, the voltage level of each voltage source based on the voltage level of the reference voltage;
- a plurality of electronic switches, each electronic switch having an input terminal coupled to a respective one of the voltage sources, a control terminal, and an output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the semiconductor device;
- and
- a control logic circuit having a plurality of outputs, a first portion of the outputs coupled to the control terminal of a respective one of the electronic switches and a second portion of the outputs coupled to the voltage control terminal of a respective one of the voltage sources, the control logic circuit being structured to generate a plurality of control signals and a plurality of voltage control signals, each control signal being coupled to the control terminal of a respective one of the electronic switches through one of the outputs.
1 more element
A variable voltage generator for providing a variable voltage to an input terminal of a semiconductor device comprising:
- a voltage source providing a voltage output, the voltage source structured to provide the voltage output at a voltage level based on a voltage control signal received at a voltage control terminal;
- an electronic switch having an input terminal coupled to the voltage source, a control terminal, and an output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the semiconductor device;
- and
- a control logic circuit having a first output coupled to the control terminal of the electronic switches and a second output coupled to the voltage control terminal of the voltage source, the control logic circuit being structured to generate a control signal to render the electronic switch conductive to couple the voltage source to the input terminal of the semiconductor device and further structured to generate the voltage control signal to regulate the voltage level of the voltage output provided by the voltage source.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.