A defect-oriented test approach using on-Chip current sensors for resistive defects in FinFET SRAMs. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Medeiros, G.C.; Bolzani Poehls, L.M.; Taouil, M.; Luis Vargas, F.; Hamdioui, S.
• Is Part Of: Microelectronics and reliability. Volume 88/90(2018)
• Page Start: 355
• Page End: 359
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: Resistive defects -- Manufacturing test -- SRAMs -- FinFETs; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability -- Periodicals; Miniature electronic equipment -- Periodicals; Appareils électroniques -- Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Équipement électronique miniaturisé -- Périodiques; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability; Miniature electronic equipment; Periodicals; 621.3815
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2018.07.092
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-2714

Abstract

Abstract: Resistive defects in FinFET SRAMs are an important challenge for manufacturing test in submicron technologies, as they may cause dynamic faults, which are hard to detect and therefore may increase the number of test escapes. This paper presents a defect-oriented test that uses On-Chip Current Sensors (OCCSs) to detect weak resistive defects by monitoring the current consumption of FinFET SRAM cells. Using OCCSs, all resistive defects injected in single cells considered in this paper have been detected within a certain accuracy by applying 5 read or write operations only, independent whether they cause static or dynamic faults. The proposed approach has been validated and the detection accuracy has been evaluated. Simulation results show that the approach is even able to detect weak resistive defects that do not sensitize faults at the functional level, thus able to increase the reliability of devices. Highlights: CMOS-based SRAM's Manufacturing Test Methodologies may not work properly for FinFET. Weak defects cause dynamic faults, leading to test escapes. Detecting weak defects may avoid reliability issues during SRAM's lifetime. Defect-oriented tests are excellent approaches to address dynamic faults. On-Chip current sensors can be also used for online SRAM monitoring.