Ionizing dose hardness assurance technique for CMOS integrated circuits
AssigneeFull Circle Research, Inc.
InventorsJames P Spratt, Roland E. Leadon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for testing IC devices for radiation hardness in a non-destructive manner, comprising subjecting a device under test (DUT) originally in an insensitized state, to a state in which the DUT is more sensitive to adverse effects of ionizing dose radiation and while the DUT is in the more sensitive state, subjecting the DUT to a low level of ionizing radiation to degrade performance of the DUT and electrical testing followed by a restoration of the DUT to its original insensitized state.
Claims8
A method for testing an IC device under test (DUT) for radiation hardness in a non-destructive manner, the method comprising the steps of:
- subjecting the DUT originally in an insensitized state, to a state in which the DUT is more sensitive to adverse effects of ionizing dose radiation;
- while the DUT is in the more sensitive state, subjecting the DUT to a low level of ionizing radiation sufficient to degrade performance of the DUT;
- electrically testing the degraded performance of the DUT;
- restoring the DUT to its original insensitized state;
- and
- relating the degraded performance of the DUT in its sensitized state to performance of the DUT that can be expected from it in its insensitized state.
A method for testing an IC device under test (DUT) for radiation hardness in a non-destructive manner, comprising;
- measuring a monitor parameter for the DUT in an insensitized state;
- subjecting the DUT to a state in which the DUT is more sensitive to adverse effects of ionizing dose radiation;
- while the DUT is in the more sensitive state, subjecting the DUT to a low level of ionizing radiation sufficient to degrade performance of the DUT and to ultimately cause the DUT to fail;
- measuring the monitor parameter after the DUT is subjected to the low level of ionizing radiation;
- restoring the DUT to its original insensitized state;
- remeasuring the monitor parameter of the restored DUT;
- and
- utilizing the measurements of the monitor parameter in the insensitized and sensitized states to relate the degraded performance of the DUT in the sensitized state to performance of the DUT that can be expected from it in its insensitized state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.