Detection circuit and method for detecting damage to a semiconductor chip
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsAndreas Tschmelitsch, Gerhard Zojer, Guenter Holl, Guenter Herzele
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor chip having a current source coupled between a first potential and an electrical node, a detection circuit having an input coupled to the electrical node, and a first active component coupled in series with the current source and further coupled between the electrical node and a second potential, wherein the first active component is coupled to the electrical node via a first conductive interconnect.
Claims20
A semiconductor chip, comprising:
- a semiconductor zone that includes a plurality of semiconductor components comprising at least one electrical circuit;
- and
- at least the following embedded within the semiconductor chip:
- at least one interconnect arranged at a periphery of the semiconductor zone,
- a current source coupled to the at least one interconnect;
- at least two transistors coupled to the at least one interconnect and arranged at the periphery of the semiconductor zone;
- and
- a detection circuit coupled to the at least one interconnect and configured to identify damage to at least one portion of the semiconductor chip based on a detected voltage associated with the at least one interconnect.
A semiconductor chip having a plurality of lateral edges, the semiconductor chip comprising:
- a plurality of diode connected transistors coupled in series with each other via a plurality of conductive interconnects wherein each of the plurality of conductive interconnects is arranged in parallel with a different one of the lateral edges of the semiconductor chip, and wherein each of the plurality of diode connected transistors is arranged at an intersection between two of the plurality of lateral edges;
- and
- a detection circuit coupled to at least one of the plurality of conductive interconnects, wherein the detection circuit identifies damage to at least one portion of the semiconductor chip based on a detected voltage of at least one of the plurality of conductive interconnects.
A semiconductor chip, comprising:
- a semiconductor zone comprising a plurality of semiconductor components;
- a crack stop at least partially surrounding the semiconductor zone;
- a first interconnect, a second interconnect, and a third interconnect, each extending through a region located between the semiconductor zone and the crack stop;
- a first transistor having a current path electrically coupled in series with and between the first interconnect and the second interconnect;
- a second transistor having a current path electrically coupled in series with and between the second interconnect and the third interconnect;
- a current source disposed in the semiconductor zone and electrically coupled to the first interconnect;
- and
- a differential amplifier disposed in the semiconductor zone and having a first input electrically coupled to the first interconnect and a second input coupled to a reference voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.