Exposure monitor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11988708-B2
Application number	US-202318318506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2023
Priority date	Apr 19, 2016
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

The disclosed technology generally relates to integrated circuit devices with wear out monitoring capability. An integrated circuit device includes a wear-out monitor device configured to record an indication of wear-out of a core circuit separated from the wear-out monitor device, wherein the indication is associated with localized diffusion of a diffusant within the wear-out monitor device in response to a wear-out stress that causes the wear-out of the core circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An exposure monitor system, comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of monitor devices distributed over the substrate and electrically coupled to each other,
wherein at least one of the monitor devices is configured such that an exposure of the monitor devices to a stress condition causes atomic diffusion of a diffusant from a first region to a second region within each of the at least one of the monitor devices, and
wherein the atomic diffusion causes a measurable change in an electrical characteristic of the at least one of the monitor devices.

2. The exposure monitor system of claim 1 , wherein prior to the exposure to the stress condition, the first region serving as a diffusant reservoir has a concentration of the diffusant that is higher relative to that in the second region serving as a diffusion region, and wherein the stress condition comprises a thermal stress condition that causes the diffusant to diffuse from the first region to the second region.

3. The exposure monitor system of claim 2 , wherein a first one of the at least one of the monitor devices comprises a first diffusant and is configured for monitoring a first temperature range, and a second one of the at least one of the monitor devices comprises a second diffusant and is configured for monitoring a second temperature range different from the first temperature range.

4. The exposure monitor system of claim 2 , wherein at least another one of the monitor devices is configured to monitor a different stress condition including one or more of humidity, vibration, electric field and magnetic field.

5. The exposure monitor system of claim 2 , wherein the monitor devices are disposed adjacent to a core circuit being monitored, such that the exposure subjects the monitor devices and the core circuit with substantially the same stress condition, and wherein the measurable change provides an indication of a lifetime of the core circuit.

6. The exposure monitor system of claim 5 , further comprising a sensing circuit for sensing the electrical characteristic and a wireless communicating module for wirelessly communicating the sensed electrical characteristic.

7. The exposure monitor system of claim 2 , further comprising a reference device with an electrical characteristic having a same magnitude as the electrical characteristic of the at least one of the monitor devices prior to the exposure to the stress condition, wherein the electrical characteristic of the reference device does not change with a same exposure to the stress condition to serve as a reference measurement for quantifying the stress condition.

8. The exposure monitor system of claim 2 , wherein an activation energy of the atomic diffusion of the diffusant from the first region to the second region is 0.50-3.5 eV.

9. An exposure monitor system, comprising:
a substrate; and
an array of monitor devices distributed over the substrate,
wherein the monitor devices is configured such that an exposure of the monitor devices to a stress condition causes atomic diffusion of a diffusant from a first region to a second region within each of the monitor devices, and
wherein the monitor devices are electrically coupled to each other and configured such that individual ones of the monitor devices are independently electrically accessible.

10. The exposure monitor system of claim 9 , wherein prior to the exposure to the stress condition, the first region has a concentration of the diffusant that is higher relative to that in the second region, and wherein the stress condition comprises a thermal stress condition that causes the diffusant to diffuse from the first region to the second region.

11. The exposure monitor system of claim 10 , wherein the monitor devices are spatially distributed over the substrate over an area being monitored, such that the monitor devices are configured for monitoring a spatial distribution of the stress condition.

12. The exposure monitor system of claim 11 , wherein the array of monitor devices is arranged in columns and rows.

13. The exposure monitor system of claim 11 , wherein the array of monitor devices is arranged to surround a heat source and configured for monitoring a radial stress profile.

14. The exposure monitor system of claim 10 , wherein an activation energy of the atomic diffusion of the diffusant from the first region to the second region is 0.50-3.5 eV.

15. An integrated device configured with an exposure monitor system, comprising:
a substrate;
a core circuit on the substrate; and
a plurality of monitor devices distributed over the substrate and electrically coupled to each other,
wherein at least one of the monitor devices is adjacently disposed to the core circuit such that an exposure of the core circuit to a stress condition causes atomic diffusion of a diffusant from a first region to a second region within the at least one of the monitor devices, and
wherein the atomic diffusion causes a measurable change in an electrical characteristic of the at least one of the monitor devices.

16. The integrated device of claim 15 , wherein the integrated device is a system in a package, wherein the core circuit and the monitor devices are packaged in a common package die.

17. The integrated device of claim 15 , wherein prior to the exposure to the stress condition, the first region serving as a diffusant reservoir has a concentration of the diffusant that is higher relative to that in the second region serving as a diffusion region, and wherein the stress condition comprises a thermal stress condition that causes the diffusant to diffuse from the first region to the second region.

18. The integrated device of claim 15 , wherein at least another one of the monitor devices is configured to monitor a different stress condition including one or more of humidity, vibration, electric field and magnetic field.

19. The integrated device of claim 15 , further comprising a sensing circuit for sensing the electrical characteristic and a wireless communicating module for wirelessly communicating the sensed electrical characteristic.

20. The integrated device of claim 15 , wherein an activation energy of the atomic diffusion of the diffusant from the first region to the second region is 0.50-3.5 eV.

Assignees

• Analog Devices International Unlimited Co

Inventors

• Coyne Edward John
• O'Donnell Alan J
• Bradley Shaun
• Aherne David
• Boland David
• O'Dwyer Thomas G
• Heffernan Colm Patrick
• Manning Kevin B
• Forde Mark
• Clarke David J
• Looby Michael A

Classifications

• G01R31/2879 Primary

  related to electrical aspects, e.g. to voltage or current supply or stimuli or to electrical loads · CPC title

• G01N27/041

  of a solid body · CPC title

• G01R31/2874

  related to temperature · CPC title