Electronic switching circuit, switching circuit test arrangement and method for determining the operativeness of an electronic switching circuit
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsMartin Kerber, Thomas Pompl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an electronic switching circuit in which a plurality of test circuit blocks is provided, whereby every test circuit block comprises a first sub-circuit block and at least one second sub-circuit block. A field effect transistor in the first sub-circuit block has a gate insulation layer that is thicker than the gate insulation layer of a field effect transistor in the second sub-circuit block.
Claims17
A switching circuit test arrangement for determining the operativeness of an electronic switching circuit, the switching circuit comprising:
- a test signal input terminal for application of a test input signal;
- a test signal output terminal, at which a test output signal can be provided;
- a multiplicity of test circuit blocks, each test circuit block having at least one first sub-circuit block and at least one second sub-circuit block, the test circuit blocks being connected between the test signal input terminal and the test signal output terminal, such that the functionality of the test circuit blocks can be tested by means of the test input signal,
- wherein the at least one first sub-circuit block includes at least one first field effect transistor having a gate insulation layer,
- wherein the at least one second sub-circuit block includes at least one second field effect transistor having a gate insulation layer, and
- wherein the gate insulation layer of the first field effect transistor is thicker than the gate insulation layer of the second field effect transistor, such that the at least one first field effect transistor is configured as a driver of the second field effect transistor
- and further comprising
- a test input signal generating unit for generating a test input signal to be fed to the test signal input terminal;
- a test output signal evaluation unit for determining the operativeness of the electronic switching circuit;
- and
- an operating voltage source for providing an operating voltage.
A method for determining the operativeness of an electronic switching circuit, the switching circuit comprising:
- a test signal input terminal for application of a test input signal,
- a test signal output terminal, at which a test output signal can be provided,
- a multiplicity of test circuit blocks, each test circuit block having at least one first sub-circuit block and at least one second sub-circuit block,
- the test circuit blocks being connected between the test signal input terminal and the test signal output terminal, such that the functionality of the test circuit blocks can be tested by means of the test input signal,
- the first sub-circuit block including at least one first field effect transistor having a gate insulation layer,
- the second sub-circuit block including at least one second field effect transistor having a gate insulation layer,
- the gate insulation layer of the at least one first field effect transistor being thicker than the gate insulation layer of the at least one second field effect transistor,
- and further comprising:
- a test input signal generating unit for generating a test input signal to be fed to the test signal input terminal;
- a test output signal evaluation unit for determining the operativeness of the electronic switching circuit;
- and
- an operating voltage source for providing an operating voltage the method comprising:
- applying a test input signal to the test signal input terminal, wherein an associated test output signal is tapped off at the test signal output terminal;
- and
- using the test output signal by using the output signal evaluation unit to determine whether the electronic switching circuit is operative.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.