Semiconductor device and wafer with reference circuit and related methods
AssigneesSTMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
InventorsJean-Francois Carpentier, Patrick Lemaitre, Jean-Robert Manouvrier, Charles Baudot, Bertrand Borot
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor wafer, and a reference circuit carried by the semiconductor wafer. The reference circuit may include optical DUTs, a first set of photodetectors coupled to outputs of the optical DUTs, an optical splitter coupled to inputs of the optical DUTs, and a second set of photodetectors coupled to the optical splitter. The optical splitter is to be coupled to an optical source and configured to transmit a reference optical signal to the first set of photodetectors via the optical DUTs and the second set of photodetectors.
Claims30
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a semiconductor layer;
- and
- at least one reference circuit carried by said semiconductor layer, said at least one reference circuit comprising
- a plurality of optical devices under tests (DUTs),
- a first set of photodetectors coupled to outputs of said plurality of optical DUTs,
- at least one optical splitter coupled to inputs of said plurality of optical DUTs, and
- a second set of photodetectors coupled to said at least one optical splitter,
- said at least one optical splitter to be coupled to an optical source and configured to transmit a reference optical signal to said first set of photodetectors via said plurality of optical DUTs and said second set of photodetectors.
A semiconductor wafer comprising:
- a semiconductor wafer device;
- and
- at least one reference circuit carried by said semiconductor wafer device, said at least one reference circuit comprising
- a plurality of optical devices under tests (DUTs),
- a first set of photodetectors coupled to outputs of said plurality of optical DUTs,
- at least one optical splitter coupled to inputs of said plurality of optical DUTs, and
- a second set of photodetectors coupled to said at least one optical splitter,
- said at least one optical splitter to be coupled to an optical source and configured to transmit a reference optical signal to said first set of photodetectors via said plurality of optical DUTs and said second set of photodetectors.
A method for testing a semiconductor device comprising at least one reference circuit, the at least one reference circuit comprising a plurality of optical devices under tests (DUTs), a first set of photodetectors coupled to outputs of the plurality of optical DUTs, at least one optical splitter coupled to inputs of the plurality of optical DUTs, and a second set of photodetectors coupled to the at least one optical splitter, the method comprising:
- coupling the at least one optical splitter to an optical source for transmitting a reference optical signal to the first set of photodetectors via the plurality of optical DUTs and the second set of photodetectors;
- and
- determining an optical loss of the plurality of optical DUTs based upon a difference in electrical output between the first and second sets of photodetectors.
A method for making a semiconductor device comprising:
- forming at least one reference circuit carried by a semiconductor wafer;
- and
- forming the at least one reference circuit to comprise
- a plurality of optical devices under tests (DUTs),
- a first set of photodetectors coupled to outputs of the plurality of optical DUTs,
- at least one optical splitter coupled to inputs of the plurality of optical DUTs, and
- a second set of photodetectors coupled to the at least one optical splitter,
- the at least one optical splitter to be coupled to an optical source and configured to transmit a reference optical signal to the first set of photodetectors via the plurality of optical DUTs and the second set of photodetectors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.