Abstract: Structures and methods are disclosed for evaluating the effect of a process environment variation. A structure and related method are disclosed including a plurality of electrical structures arranged in a non-collinear fashion for determining a magnitude and direction of a process environment variation in the vicinity of the plurality of electrical structures. The plurality of structures may include a first polarity FET coupled to a second polarity FET, each of the first polarity FET and the second polarity FET are coupled to a first pad and a second pad such that the structure allows independent measurement of the first polarity FET and the second polarity FET using only the first and second pads. Alternatively, the electrical structures may include resistors, diodes or ring oscillators. Appropriate measurements of each electrical structure allow a gradient field including a magnitude and direction of the effect of a process environment variation to be determined.

Abstract: Structures and methods are disclosed for evaluating the effect of a process environment variation. A structure and related method are disclosed including a plurality of electrical structures arranged in a non-collinear fashion for determining a magnitude and direction of a process environment variation in the vicinity of the plurality of electrical structures. The plurality of structures may include a first polarity FET coupled to a second polarity FET, each of the first polarity FET and the second polarity FET are coupled to a first pad and a second pad such that the structure allows independent measurement of the first polarity FET and the second polarity FET using only the first and second pads. Alternatively, the electrical structures may include resistors, diodes or ring oscillators. Appropriate measurements of each electrical structure allow a gradient field including a magnitude and direction of the effect of a process environment variation to be determined.

Abstract: A device and method for determining a thermal absorption of a part of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. A specially designed ring oscillator including a non-silicided poly-silicon resistor is used for the determination. The parameters of the ring oscillator are designed/tuned so that a delay of the ring oscillator varies predominantly with a variation in a resistance of the non-silicided poly-silicon resistor. The dimensions of the non-silicided poly-silicon resistor are large enough so that the resistance of the non-silicided poly-silicon resistor is immune to the small process variations of the poly-silicon length and width. The resistance of the non-silicided poly-silicon resistor varies with the thermal absorption of the part of the IC. As such, the thermal absorption of the part of the IC may be determined based on the delay of the ring oscillator.

Abstract: A device and method for determining a thermal absorption of a part of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. A specially designed ring oscillator including an un-silicided poly-silicon resistor is used for the determination. The parameters of the ring oscillator are designed/tuned so that a delay of the ring oscillator varies predominantly with a variation in a resistance of the un-silicided poly-silicon resistor. The dimensions of the un-silicided poly-silicon resistor are large enough so that the resistance of the un-silicided poly-silicon resistor is immune to the small process variations of the poly-silicon length and width. The resistance of the un-silicided poly-silicon resistor varies with the thermal absorption of the part of the IC. As such, the thermal absorption of the part of the IC may be determined based on the delay of the ring oscillator.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate having a rectifying contact diffusion and a non-rectifying contact diffusion. A halo diffusion is adjacent the rectifying contact diffusion and no halo diffusion is adjacent the non-rectifying contact diffusion. The rectifying contact diffusion can be a source/drain diffusion of an FET to improve resistance to punch-through. The non-rectifying contact diffusion may be an FET body contact, a lateral diode contact, or a resistor or capacitor contact. Avoiding a halo for non-rectifying contacts reduces series resistance and improves device characteristics. In another embodiment on a chip having devices with halos adjacent diffusions, no halo diffusion is adjacent a rectifying contact diffusion of a lateral diode, significantly improving ideality of the diode and increasing breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate having a rectifying contact diffusion and a non-rectifying contact diffusion. A halo diffusion is adjacent the rectifying contact diffusion and no halo diffusion is adjacent the non-rectifying contact diffusion. The rectifying contact diffusion can be a source/drain diffusion of an FET to improve resistance to punch-through. The non-rectifying contact diffusion may be an FET body contact, a lateral diode contact, or a resistor or capacitor contact. Avoiding a halo for non-rectifying contacts reduces series resistance and improves device characteristics. In another embodiment on a chip having devices with halos adjacent diffusions, no halo diffusion is adjacent a rectifying contact diffusion of a lateral diode, significantly improving ideality of the diode and increasing breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate having a rectifying contact diffusion and a non-rectifying contact diffusion. A halo diffusion is adjacent the rectifying contact diffusion and no halo diffusion is adjacent the non-rectifying contact diffusion. The rectifying contact diffusion can be a source/drain diffusion of an FET to improve resistance to punch-through. The non-rectifying contact diffusion may be an FET body contact, a lateral diode contact, or a resistor or capacitor contact. Avoiding a halo for non-rectifying contacts reduces series resistance and improves device characteristics. In another embodiment on a chip having devices with halos adjacent diffusions, no halo diffusion is adjacent a rectifying contact diffusion of a lateral diode, significantly improving ideality of the diode and increasing breakdown voltage.