Abstract: A system and method for reliably probing an internal node from the backside of an integrated circuit are disclosed herein. In accordance with at least some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes a device that outputs a signal, and a probe structure. The probe structure includes a transistor having each terminal of the transistor connected to all other terminals of the transistor and connected to the device output. The device output signal is applied to each terminal of the transistor.

Abstract: A computer method of analyzing an integrated circuit (“IC”) masked design data, comprising grouping into a cluster areas of layers preceding a target metal layer that are suitable for milling, deleting portions of the target metal layer that do not meet minimum tool spacing requirements to produce a modified metal layer, deleting portions of the modified metal layer that do not meet minimum design rule width requirements to produce a final metal layer, and comparing the final metal layer and the cluster to identify common areas.

Abstract: A method of cross-mapping integrated circuit (“IC”) elements nets in a IC and/or directing a probe to points on an IC to achieve minimal interference from adjacent structures is disclosed. The method of provides a more streamlined approach than referencing points from a physical layout representation of the IC to the actual IC being tested. The improved correlation between the actual packaged IC and the layout of the IC is accomplished using artificial locator cells. Preferably, the artificial locator cells are generated from mathematical operations of the extracted version of the layout, and they further provide coordinate information for where minimal interference from adjacent structures may be accomplished. Artificial locator cells may be generated from a layout representing a hierarchical representation or alternately each element that is instantiated from a reference library may already have artificial locator cells included.

Abstract: A method of cross-mapping integrated circuit (“IC”) elements nets in a IC and/or directing a probe to points on an IC to achieve minimal interference from adjacent structures is disclosed. The method of provides a more streamlined approach than referencing points from a physical layout representation of the IC to the actual IC being tested. The improved correlation between the actual packaged IC and the layout of the IC is accomplished using artificial locator cells. Preferably, the artificial locator cells are generated from mathematical operations of the extracted version of the layout, and they further provide coordinate information for where minimal interference from adjacent structures may be accomplished. Artificial locator cells may be generated from a layout representing a hierarchical representation or alternately each element that is instantiated from a reference library may already have artificial locator cells included.