System and method for measuring negative bias thermal instability with a ring oscillator

Abstract

An integrated circuit, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, includes a first device under test (DUT) module coupled to a first ring oscillator module and a second DUT module coupled to a second ring oscillator module. The first DUT module is biased such that interface traps are generated during a first mode. The generated interface traps result in a decrease in a first drive current of the first DUT module. The second device under test module is biased to maintain a reference drive current during the first mode. The operating frequency of the first ring oscillator module, during a second mode, is a function of the first drive current. The operating frequency of the second ring oscillator module, during the second mode, is a function of the reference drive current. The integrated circuit may also include a comparator module for generating an output signal as a function of a difference between the operating frequency of the first and second ring oscillator modules.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.