Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for an improved semiconductor interconnect scheme using a simplified process. In an embodiment of the apparatus, a polysilicon shape is formed on a silicon area. The polysilicon shape is created having a bridging vertex. When a spacer is created on the polysilicon shape, the spacer width is formed to be small enough near the bridging vertex to allow a silicide bridge to form that creates an electrical coupling between the silicon area and the bridging vertex. Semiconductor devices and circuits are created using the improved semiconductor interconnect scheme using the simplified process.

Abstract: Systems and arrangements to assess the thermal performance of a thermal solution based upon the ability of a device under test (DUT) to operate in accordance with electrical performance criteria are contemplated. Embodiments may include a tester to couple with the DUT to determine an operating junction temperature. In some embodiments, the measured junction temperature may be the operating junction temperature anticipated for the DUT in a customer installation. In other embodiments, the tester may comprise logic to calculate a projected, operating junction temperature based upon the measured junction temperature and known differences between the tester and a customer installation. Upon determining the operating junction temperature for the DUT at the customer installation, the operating junction temperature is compared against a maximum junction temperature for proper operation of the DUT. Advantageously, the maximum junction temperature may be varied based upon the project objective for a line of DUTs.

Abstract: A FinFET body contact structure and a method for creating the FinFET body contact structure are disclosed. The body contact structure comprises a wide fin portion of a semiconductor fin, the wide fin portion having a polysilicon polygon shape formed on a top surface of the wide fin portion. The polysilicon polygon shape has a center area having no polysilicon. FinFETs are formed on two vertical surfaces of the wide fin portion and gates of the FinFETs are coupled to the polysilicon polygon shape. Top surfaces of the wide fin portion and the polysilicon polygon shape are silicided. Silicide bridging is prevented by sidewall spacers. All convex angles on the polysilicon polygon shape are obtuse enough to prevent creation of bridging vertices. The center area is doped of an opposite type from a source and a drain of an associated FinFET.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for an improved semiconductor interconnect scheme using a simplified process. In an embodiment of the apparatus, a polysilicon shape is formed on a silicon area. The polysilicon shape is created having a bridging vertex. When a spacer is created on the polysilicon shape, the spacer width is formed to be small enough near the bridging vertex to allow a silicide bridge to form that creates an electrical coupling between the silicon area and the bridging vertex. Semiconductor devices and circuits are created using the improved semiconductor interconnect scheme using the simplified process.

Abstract: Systems and arrangements to assess the thermal performance of a thermal solution based upon the ability of a device under test (DUT) to operate in accordance with electrical performance criteria are contemplated. Embodiments may include a tester to couple with the DUT to determine an operating junction temperature. In some embodiments, the measured junction temperature may be the operating junction temperature anticipated for the DUT in a customer installation. In other embodiments, the tester may comprise logic to calculate a projected, operating junction temperature based upon the measured junction temperature and known differences between the tester and a customer installation. Upon determining the operating junction temperature for the DUT at the customer installation, the operating junction temperature is compared against a maximum junction temperature for proper operation of the DUT. Advantageously, the maximum junction temperature may be varied based upon the project objective for a line of DUTs.

Abstract: Systems and arrangements to assess the thermal performance of a thermal solution based upon the ability of a device under test (DUT) to operate in accordance with electrical performance criteria are contemplated. Embodiments may include a tester to couple with the DUT to determine an operating junction temperature. In some embodiments, the measured junction temperature may be the operating junction temperature anticipated for the DUT in a customer installation. In other embodiments, the tester may comprise logic to calculate a projected, operating junction temperature based upon the measured junction temperature and known differences between the tester and a customer installation. Upon determining the operating junction temperature for the DUT at the customer installation, the operating junction temperature is compared against a maximum junction temperature for proper operation of the DUT. Advantageously, the maximum junction temperature may be varied based upon the project objective for a line of DUTs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for an improved semiconductor interconnect scheme using a simplified process. In an embodiment of the apparatus, a polysilicon shape is formed on a silicon area. The polysilicon shape is created having a bridging vertex. When a spacer is created on the polysilicon shape, the spacer width is formed to be small enough near the bridging vertex to allow a silicide bridge to form that creates an electrical coupling between the silicon area and the bridging vertex. Semiconductor devices and circuits are created using the improved semiconductor interconnect scheme using the simplified process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for improving timing margins of logic paths on a semiconductor chip. Typical logic embodiments, such as CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), have path delays that become shorter as supply voltage is increased. Embodiments of the present invention store product data on each particular chip. The product data includes, for examples, but not limited to, a voltage range having a low limit voltage and a high limit voltage, a limit temperature, and performance of the particular chip in storage for the particular chip. Each chip has a voltage controller, a timer, and a thermal monitor. The voltage controller communicates with a voltage regulator and dynamically causes a voltage supply coupled to the chip to be as high as possible in the voltage range, subject to the limit temperature.

Abstract: A FinFET body contact structure and a method for creating the FinFET body contact structure are disclosed. The body contact structure comprises a wide fin portion of a semiconductor fin, the wide fin portion having a polysilicon polygon shape formed on a top surface of the wide fin portion. The polysilicon polygon shape has a center area having no polysilicon. FinFETs are formed on two vertical surfaces of the wide fin portion and gates of the FinFETs are coupled to the polysilicon polygon shape. Top surfaces of the wide fin portion and the polysilicon polygon shape are silicided. Silicide bridging is prevented by sidewall spacers. All convex angles on the polysilicon polygon shape are obtuse enough to prevent creation of bridging vertices. The center area is doped of an opposite type from a source and a drain of an associated FinFET.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for determining polysilicon conductor width for 3-dimensional field effect transistors (FinFETs). Two or more resistors are constructed using a topology in which polysilicon conductors are formed over a plurality of silicon “fins”. A first resistor has a first line width. A second resistor has a second line width. The second line width is slightly different than the first line width. Advantageously, the first line width is equal to the nominal design width used to make FET gates in the particular semiconductor technology. Resistance measurements of the resistors and subsequent calculations using the resistance measurements are used to determine the actual polysilicon conductor width produced by the semiconductor process. A composite test structure not only allows calculation of the polysilicon conductor width, but provides proof that differences in the widths used in the calculations do not introduce objectionable etching characteristics of the polysilicon conductors.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing thermal integrity screening. Predefined processor module temperature data are obtained and processed. An initial thermal calibration is performed to record a predefined processor resistance with no power applied to the processor module. A limit check is performed at power up to detect and compare a thermal bond operating temperature with an identified threshold temperature for the processor module. Responsive to an identified thermal bond operating temperature greater than the identified threshold temperature, the processor module is shutdown and the processor module failed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed that allow an electronic system implemented with field effect transistors (FETs) to reduce threshold voltage shifts caused by bias temperature instability (BTI). BTI caused VT shifts accumulate when an FET is in a particular voltage stress condition. Many storage elements in an electronic system store the same data for virtually the life of the system, resulting in significant BTI caused VT shifts in FETs in the storage elements. An embodiment of the invention ensures that a particular storage element is in a first state for a first portion of time the electronic system operates, during which data is stored in a storage element in a first phase, and that the particular storage element is in a second state for a second portion of time the electronic system operates, during which data is stored in the storage element in a second phase.

Abstract: A method and testing circuit are provided for tracking transistor stress degradation. A first array of P-channel field effect transistors (PFETs) is connected in parallel. The first array of PFETs is stressed by applying a low gate input and a high source and a high drain to the PFETs during a stress period. The first array of PFETs is tested by operating the PFETs in a saturated region during a test period. A reference array of PFETs is not stressed during the stress period. The reference array of PFETs is activated for testing to compare a saturated drain current performance with the first array of PFETs during the test period.

Abstract: Circuitry and methods are disclosed for quantitatively characterizing the delay of Embedded Dynamic Random Access Memory (EDRAM) and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The performance critical portion of the memory is placed in a ring oscillator designed such that the delay through the portion, from a rising input to the memory to a rising output, can be accurately determined. Recently, such memory elements have begun to be implemented on chips along with high-speed logic circuitry. However, the performance characteristics of the memory elements do not track the performance characteristics of the logic circuitry. The current invention allows the memory performance to be characterized along with, or separately from, characterization of the logic circuitry.

Abstract: Circuitry and methods are disclosed for quantitatively characterizing the delay of Embedded Dynamic Random Access Memory (EDRAM) and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The performance critical portion of the memory is placed in a ring oscillator designed such that the delay through the portion, from a rising input to the memory to a rising output, can be accurately determined. Recently, such memory elements have begun to be implemented on chips along with high-speed logic circuitry. However, the performance characteristics of the memory elements do not track the performance characteristics of the logic circuitry. The current invention allows the memory performance to be characterized along with, or separately from, characterization of the logic circuitry.

Abstract: An improved off-chip driver circuit is disclosed which will properly transition from an active mode to a high impedance mode. The circuit includes first and second input nodes for receiving a first and second input signal respectively. An input composite transmission gate including a p-channel transistor in parallel with an n-channel transistor to receive the first input signal is provided in the circuit. A push-pull circuit is also included which includes the pull-up transistor disposed between a voltage supply and an output node and a first pull-down transistor disposed between ground and the output node. The pull-up transistor has a gate electrode for receiving the first input signal provided by the input composite transmission gate. The first pull-down transistor has a gate electrode for receiving the second input signal. A control transistor is included and is coupled between the gate electrode of the pull-up transistor and the output node.