Detection circuit and detection method of protection ring resistor, and memory

Abstract

The invention provides a protection ring resistor detection circuit, a protection ring resistor detection method and a memory. The protection ring resistor detection circuit comprises a plurality of reference resistors, and the resistance values of the reference resistors are different; the first power supply is connected with the first end of the protection ring and the first ends of the plurality of reference resistors and is used for inputting first input voltage to the protection ring and the plurality of reference resistors; the current adjusting module is connected with the second end of the protection ring and the second ends of the plurality of reference resistors, and is configured to enable the current flowing through the protection ring and the plurality of reference resistors to have the same current value; and the resistance detection module is configured to obtain a first voltage value of the second end of the protection ring and a second voltage value of the second end of each reference resistor, and compare the first voltage value with each second voltage value to obtain a resistance value of the protection ring. The protection ring resistance detection circuit can accurately detect the resistance of the protection ring so as to accurately judge whether the protection ring fails or not.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and more specifically, to a detection circuit for a guard ring resistor, a detection method for a guard ring resistor, and a memory. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor technology field, an external detection circuit is needed to detect the resistance value of the guard ring on the chip. However, using an external detection circuit to detect the resistance value of the guard ring requires setting up a voltage source outside the chip, thus wasting detection resources. Furthermore, existing detection circuits cannot accurately detect the resistance value of the guard ring, and the detection process is relatively complex, resulting in low detection efficiency for the guard ring resistance value. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a detection circuit, a detection method, and a memory for a protection ring resistor, thereby overcoming, to at least some extent, the problems of wasted detection resources, low detection efficiency, and poor detection accuracy.

[0004] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a detection circuit for a protection ring resistor is provided, comprising: Multiple reference resistors, each with a different resistance value; A first power supply is connected to the first end of the guard ring and the first end of a plurality of reference resistors, and is used to input a first input voltage to the guard ring and the plurality of reference resistors; A current adjustment module, connected to the second end of the protection ring and the second ends of multiple reference resistors, is configured to make the current flowing through the protection ring and the multiple reference resistors have the same current value. The resistance detection module is configured to acquire a first voltage value at the second end of the protection ring and a second voltage value at the second end of each reference resistor, and compare the first voltage value with each second voltage value to obtain the resistance value of the protection ring.

[0005] Optionally, the reference resistors corresponding to each second voltage value less than the first voltage value are first-type reference resistors, and the reference resistors corresponding to each second voltage value greater than the first voltage value are second-type reference resistors; Among the first-class reference resistors and the second-class reference resistors, the resistance value of the guard ring is located between the resistance values ​​of the first-class reference resistor and the second-class reference resistor that have the closest resistance values.

[0006] Optionally, the guard rings are at least two, and the resistance values ​​of the at least two guard rings are different; The first power supply and the current adjustment module can be connected to any one of at least two of the protection rings, and the first power supply is configured to input a first input voltage to the protection ring connected to the first power supply, and the current adjustment module is configured to make the current flowing through the plurality of reference resistors and the current flowing through the protection ring connected to the current adjustment module have the same current value.

[0007] Optionally, the current regulation module includes: The reference voltage input module is configured to provide a reference voltage; The current output module is configured to receive a reference voltage and make the first voltage value the same as the reference voltage value, and the current output module is also configured to make the current flowing through each reference resistor and the current flowing through the protection ring have the same current value.

[0008] Optionally, the current output module includes: A voltage fixing module is connected to a reference voltage input module to receive a reference voltage, and the voltage fixing module is connected to the second end of a protection ring to receive a first voltage and make the voltage value of the first voltage the same as the voltage value of the reference voltage. The current replication module has its first terminal connected to the second terminal of the protection ring and the second terminal of each reference resistor. The current replication module is configured to make the current flowing through each reference resistor have the same current value as the current flowing through the protection ring.

[0009] Optionally, the voltage fixing module includes: The operational amplifier has its first input terminal connected to the reference voltage input module to receive the reference voltage, its second input terminal connected to the second terminal of the guard ring, and its output terminal connected to the second terminal of each reference resistor.

[0010] Optionally, the operational amplifier includes: The zero-adjustment voltage generation module is configured to generate a current with the same current value as the current flowing through the protection ring, and generate a zero-adjustment control voltage based on the current value of the generated current. The zero-adjustment module is equipped with a zero-adjustment control tube. The control terminal of the zero-adjustment control tube is used to receive the zero-adjustment control voltage. The first terminal of the zero-adjustment control tube is connected to the second terminal of the protection ring. The resistance value of the zero-adjustment control tube is configured to be dynamically adjusted according to the zero-adjustment control voltage. Among them, the resistance value of the zero-adjustment control tube decreases as the zero-adjustment control voltage increases, and the resistance value of the zero-adjustment control tube increases as the zero-adjustment control voltage decreases; the voltage value of the zero-adjustment control voltage decreases as the resistance value of the protection ring increases, and the voltage value of the zero-adjustment control voltage increases as the resistance value of the protection ring decreases.

[0011] Optionally, the current replication module includes: The first switching transistor has its control terminal connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier, its first terminal connected to the second terminal of the protection ring, and its second terminal connected to the second power supply. Multiple second switching transistors are provided, with the control terminal of each second switching transistor connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier. The first terminal of each second switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of each reference resistor, and the second terminal of each second switching transistor is connected to a second power supply.

[0012] Optionally, the reference resistors are set sequentially in order of increasing or decreasing resistance values, and the resistance detection module includes: Multiple comparators are configured to acquire a first voltage value at their first input terminal, and to acquire a second voltage value at their second input terminal connected to the second terminal of each reference resistor. The output terminal of each comparator is used to output a level signal to form a signal sequence. Specifically, when the first voltage value is greater than a second voltage value, the comparator outputs a first-level signal; when the first voltage value is less than a second voltage value, the comparator outputs a second-level signal; in the signal sequence, the reference resistors corresponding to adjacent first-level signals and second-level signals are respectively a first-type reference resistor and a second-type reference resistor with the closest resistance values.

[0013] Optionally, the protection ring fails when all first voltage values ​​are less than each of the second voltage values, or when all first voltage values ​​are greater than each of the second voltage values.

[0014] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a method for detecting the resistance of a guard ring is provided, comprising: Provide multiple reference resistors with different resistance values; A first input voltage is applied to the first end of the guard ring and the first end of the plurality of reference resistors, and the current flowing through the guard ring and the plurality of reference resistors has the same current value. Obtain the first voltage value at the second terminal of the guard ring and the second voltage value at the second terminal of each reference resistor, and compare the first voltage value with each second voltage value to obtain the resistance value of the guard ring.

[0015] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a memory is provided, including a detection circuit for the guard ring resistor as described above.

[0016] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the detection circuit for the guard ring resistance includes multiple reference resistors, a first power supply, a current adjustment module, and a resistance detection module. Each reference resistor has a different resistance value. The current adjustment module is used to adjust the current values ​​flowing through the guard ring and the multiple reference resistors to be consistent, thereby controlling the current value variable. This allows the resistance detection module to obtain the resistance value of the guard ring by comparing the voltage values ​​of the guard ring and the reference resistors. This simplifies the detection process for detecting the guard ring resistance value and improves the detection efficiency of the detection circuit.

[0017] Meanwhile, since the protection ring resistance detection circuit is equipped with multiple reference resistors with different resistance values, the resistance detection range of the detection circuit can be expanded and the detection scale value can be reduced, thereby improving the detection range and detection accuracy of the detection circuit. Thus, the failure of the protection ring can be accurately determined based on the detected resistance value of the protection ring.

[0018] The detection circuit for the protection ring resistor can be directly integrated inside the chip, eliminating the need for an external detection circuit when detecting the resistance value of the protection ring, thus further simplifying the detection process. Furthermore, the primary power supply can be the internal power supply of the chip, eliminating the need for an external voltage source for the protection ring resistor detection circuit, effectively saving detection resources and reducing detection costs.

[0019] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a chip according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 2 A circuit diagram of a protection ring resistor detection circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 3 A circuit diagram of a detection circuit for a guard ring resistor according to another embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0024] Figure 4 A circuit diagram of a current adjustment module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 5A schematic flowchart of a method for detecting the protection ring resistance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this disclosure more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, circuit structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a full understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be practiced with one or more of the specific details omitted, or other components, devices, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known technical solutions are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this disclosure.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this disclosure only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure.

[0028] In the following description, references are made to “some embodiments,” which describe a subset of all possible embodiments. However, it is understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0029] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", "third", etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure are merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of objects. It is understood that "first", "second", "third", etc., can be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this disclosure described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0030] This disclosure first provides a memory, including but not limited to DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random-Access Memory), MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory), FeRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), PCRAM (Phase Change Random Access Memory), NAND (NAND Flash Memory), NOR (NOR Flash Memory), etc. For example, the memory can be LPDDR4 memory or LPDDR5 memory.

[0031] refer to Figure 1 The memory provided in this disclosure can be configured with a chip 01, on which a protective ring 1 can be disposed. The protective ring 1 can be disposed in the peripheral area of ​​the chip 01 and can surround the circuit area to protect the device structure located in the circuit area during chip 01 dicing, reducing the probability of chip 01 being damaged after dicing and improving the product yield of the memory. Simultaneously, the protective ring 1 can also guide the static electricity generated during dicing away from the chip 01, preventing the static electricity generated during dicing from affecting other device structures of the chip 01, further reducing the probability of chip 01 being damaged after dicing and further improving the product yield of the memory. Furthermore, in subsequent processes after chip 01 dicing (e.g., silicon via process), the protective ring 1 can balance stress to protect the device structure in the circuit area from the impact of concentrated stress. Moreover, the protective ring 1 can also prevent impurities such as moisture from the external environment from entering the circuit area of ​​the chip 01, improving the stability of the chip 01 during use and extending the lifespan of the chip 01.

[0032] At least two protection rings 1 can be provided on chip 01, and the at least two protection rings 1 can be arranged at intervals to improve the protection effect on the circuit area and further reduce the probability of chip 01 being damaged during dicing, subsequent processes, and use. For example, the at least two protection rings 1 may include a first protection ring Sr0 and a second protection ring Sr1, wherein the first protection ring Sr0 may be composed of a polysilicon layer, a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and a third metal layer, and the second protection ring Sr1 may be composed of a first metal layer, a second metal layer, a third metal layer, a fourth metal layer, and a fifth metal layer. However, it is not limited to this, and the structure of the protection rings 1 can be selected and set according to the actual situation, all of which are within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0033] However, during the dicing of chip 01, the protection ring 1 may be cut and fail. Once the protection ring 1 fails, it can no longer protect the device structure located in the circuit area during subsequent processes and use, resulting in low product yield and operational stability for chip 01 and the memory, severely impacting their lifespan and performance. Therefore, after dicing chip 01, the protection ring 1 needs to be inspected to confirm its failure. This can be done by detecting the resistance value of the protection ring 1. For example, if the resistance value of the protection ring 1 after dicing differs from that before dicing, it indicates damage and failure; if the resistance value is less than the minimum set value, it indicates a short circuit and failure; and if the resistance value is greater than the maximum set value, it indicates an open circuit and failure.

[0034] In existing technology, to detect the resistance value of the protection ring 1, an external detection circuit needs to be connected to the chip 01. However, when using an external detection circuit to detect the resistance value of the protection ring 1, an additional voltage source needs to be set outside the chip 01, thus wasting detection resources. Furthermore, existing detection circuits cannot accurately detect the resistance value of the protection ring 1, and the detection process is relatively complex, resulting in low efficiency in detecting the resistance value of the protection ring 1. Especially when facing... Figure 1 The illustrated protection rings have the following characteristics: the first protection ring Sr0 consists of a polysilicon layer, a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and a third metal layer; the second protection ring Sr1 consists of a first metal layer, a second metal layer, a third metal layer, a fourth metal layer, and a fifth metal layer. The resistance values ​​of the first protection ring Sr0 and the second protection ring Sr1 differ significantly, making it difficult for an external detection circuit to simultaneously measure these two highly different resistances. To address this technical problem, this disclosure provides a novel detection circuit for the resistance of the protection ring 1, which effectively solves the problems in the prior art.

[0035] refer to Figure 2The detection circuit for the protection ring 1 resistor provided in this disclosure may include: multiple reference resistors (including R3 to Rn), a first power supply VCC, a current adjustment module 2, and a resistance detection module 3. The resistance values ​​of each of the multiple reference resistors are different. For example, the detection circuit for the protection ring 1 resistor may include five reference resistors, with resistance values ​​of 10KΩ, 30KΩ, 240KΩ, 480KΩ, and 800KΩ, respectively. However, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the detection circuit for the protection ring 1 resistor may include four, six, or eight reference resistors, which can be set according to the estimated resistance of the protection ring 1 and the required detection accuracy, all within the scope of protection of this disclosure. The multiple reference resistors may be set on chip 01, for example, in the circuit area of ​​chip 01.

[0036] The first power supply VCC can be connected to the first terminal of the protection ring 1, and the first power supply VCC can also be connected to the first terminal of multiple reference resistors, for inputting a first input voltage to the protection ring 1 and the multiple reference resistors. The first power supply VCC can be the power supply inside chip 01.

[0037] The current adjustment module 2 can be connected to the second terminal of the protection ring 1, and the current adjustment module 2 can be connected to the second terminals of multiple reference resistors. The current adjustment module 2 can be configured to ensure that the current flowing through the protection ring 1 and the multiple reference resistors has the same current value. The current adjustment module 2 can be disposed on chip 01, for example, in the circuit area of ​​chip 01.

[0038] The resistance detection module 3 can be configured to acquire a first voltage value at the second terminal of the protection ring 1 and a second voltage value at the second terminal of each reference resistor, and compare the first voltage value with each second voltage value to obtain the resistance value of the protection ring 1. The resistance detection module 3 can be disposed on the chip 01, for example, the resistance detection module 3 can be disposed in the circuit area of ​​the chip 01.

[0039] Therefore, the current adjustment module 2 can be used to adjust the current values ​​flowing through the protection ring 1 and multiple reference resistors to be consistent in order to control the current value variable. This allows the resistance detection module 3 to obtain the resistance value of the protection ring 1 by comparing the voltage values ​​of the protection ring 1 and the reference resistors. This simplifies the detection process for detecting the resistance value of the protection ring 1 and improves the detection efficiency of the detection circuit.

[0040] Meanwhile, since the detection circuit of the protection ring 1 has multiple reference resistors with different resistance values, the resistance detection range of the detection circuit can be expanded and the detection scale value can be reduced, which can improve the detection range and detection accuracy of the detection circuit. Thus, the failure of the protection ring 1 can be accurately determined based on the detected resistance value of the protection ring 1.

[0041] Furthermore, the detection circuit for the resistance of guard ring 1 can be directly integrated into chip 01, eliminating the need for an external detection circuit when detecting the resistance value of guard ring 1, thus further simplifying the detection process. Moreover, the first power supply VCC can provide power to the internal circuitry of chip 01, eliminating the need for an external voltage source for the detection circuit of the resistance of guard ring 1, effectively saving detection resources and reducing detection costs.

[0042] In some embodiments, among the plurality of reference resistors, the reference resistors corresponding to each second voltage value less than the first voltage value are classified as first-type reference resistors, and the reference resistors corresponding to each second voltage value greater than the first voltage value are classified as second-type reference resistors. Specifically, among the first-type and second-type reference resistors, the resistance value of the guard ring 1 can be located between the resistance values ​​of the first-type and second-type reference resistors with the closest resistance values. For example, the first-type reference resistors may include three reference resistors with resistance values ​​of 10KΩ, 30KΩ, and 240KΩ, and the second-type reference resistors may include two reference resistors with resistance values ​​of 480KΩ and 800KΩ; in this case, the resistance value of the guard ring 1 can be located between 240KΩ and 480KΩ.

[0043] Furthermore, when the first voltage value is the same as the second voltage value of any reference resistor, the resistance value of the guard ring 1 is the same as the resistance value of the reference resistor with the same voltage value. For example, when the first voltage value is the same as the second voltage value of a reference resistor with a resistance of 240KΩ, the resistance value of the guard ring 1 is 240KΩ.

[0044] Therefore, the failure of the protection ring 1 can be determined by detecting its resistance value or resistance range. For example, if the detected resistance value of the protection ring 1 is the same as or only slightly different from its resistance value during the pre-cutting test, the protection ring 1 can be considered structurally sound after cutting. If the detected resistance value of the protection ring 1 differs from its resistance value during the pre-cutting test, the protection ring 1 can be considered damaged and failed. Alternatively, if the first voltage value of the protection ring 1 is less than the second voltage value of each reference resistor (i.e., the resistance value of the protection ring 1 is less than the resistance values ​​of each reference resistor), the protection ring 1 can be considered short-circuited, and thus failed. Or, if the first voltage value of the protection ring 1 is greater than the second voltage value of each reference resistor (i.e., the resistance value of the protection ring 1 is greater than the resistance values ​​of each reference resistor), the protection ring 1 can be considered open-circuited, and thus failed.

[0045] In some embodiments, due to the different structural layers constituting each guard ring 1, the resistance values ​​of each guard ring 1 are different, and the resistance values ​​of each guard ring 1 may differ significantly. Therefore, it is necessary for the guard ring 1 resistance detection circuit to detect guard rings 1 with different resistance values. To solve this technical problem, the above-mentioned guard ring 1 resistance detection circuit has been improved.

[0046] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 The first power supply VCC and current adjustment module 2 can be connected to any one of at least two protection rings (first protection ring Sr0 and second protection ring Sr1). For example, the first power supply VCC and current adjustment module 2 can be connected to the first protection ring Sr0 in protection ring 1 to measure the resistance of the first protection ring Sr0; the first power supply VCC and current adjustment module 2 can also be connected to the second protection ring Sr1 in protection ring 1 to measure the resistance of the second protection ring Sr1. The same first power supply VCC and current adjustment module 2 can measure the resistance values ​​of the first protection ring Sr0 and the second protection ring Sr1.

[0047] The first power supply VCC can be configured to input a first input voltage to the protection ring 1 connected to the first power supply VCC. The current adjustment module 2 can be configured to ensure that the current flowing through multiple reference resistors and the current flowing through the protection ring 1 connected to the current adjustment module 2 have the same current value. In this way, the current adjustment module 2 can adjust the current value according to different protection rings 1 to ensure the accuracy of resistance detection.

[0048] refer to Figure 3 The current adjustment module 2 may include a reference voltage input module 21 and a current output module 22. The reference voltage input module 21 may be configured to provide a reference voltage Vref, and the current output module 22 may be configured to receive the reference voltage Vref and make a first voltage value the same as the reference voltage Vref. Furthermore, the current output module 22 may be configured to make the current flowing through each reference resistor have the same current value as the current flowing through the protection ring 1.

[0049] The reference voltage input module 21 may include a first resistor R1 and a second resistor R2. The first terminal of the first resistor R1 and the second terminal of the second resistor R2 can both be connected to the first power supply VCC. The second terminal of the first resistor R1 can be connected to the first terminal of the second resistor R2 and connected to the current output module 22. The reference voltage Vref is set by dividing VCC through the first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2.

[0050] The current output module 22 may include a voltage fixing module 221 and a current replication module 222. The voltage fixing module 221 can be connected to the reference voltage input module 21 to receive the reference voltage Vref, and the voltage fixing module 221 can be connected to the second end of the protection ring 1 to receive a first voltage and ensure that the voltage value of the first voltage is the same as the voltage value of the reference voltage Vref.

[0051] The voltage fixing module 221 may include an operational amplifier (OPA). The first input terminal of the OPA can be connected to the reference voltage input module 21 to receive the reference voltage Vref. The second terminal of the OPA can be connected to the second terminal of the guard ring 1, and the output terminal of the OPA can be connected to the second terminal of each reference resistor.

[0052] The first terminal of the current replication module 222 can be connected to the second terminal of the guard ring 1 and the second terminal of each reference resistor. The current replication module 222 can be configured to make the current flowing through each reference resistor have the same current value as the current flowing through the guard ring 1. Furthermore, the second terminal of the current replication module 222 can be connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier OPA.

[0053] The current replication module 222 may include a first switching transistor MN0 and multiple second switching transistors (e.g., MN1 to MN5). The control terminal of the first switching transistor MN0 can be connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier OPA, the first terminal of the first switching transistor MN0 can be connected to the second terminal of the guard ring 1, and the second terminal of the first switching transistor MN0 can be connected to the second power supply VSS. The control terminal of each second switching transistor is connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier OPA, the first terminal of each second switching transistor can be connected to the second terminal of each reference resistor, and the second terminal of each second switching transistor can be connected to the second power supply VSS.

[0054] For example, when there are five reference resistors, the current replication module 222 may include five second switching transistors (MN1 to MN5). Second switching transistor MN1 can be connected to the second terminal of the first reference resistor R3, second switching transistor MN2 can be connected to the second terminal of the second reference resistor R4, third switching transistor MN3 can be connected to the second terminal of the third reference resistor R5, fourth switching transistor MN4 can be connected to the second terminal of the fourth reference resistor R6, and fifth switching transistor MN5 can be connected to the second terminal of the fifth reference resistor R7. Thus, by setting the first switching transistor MN0 and multiple second switching transistors (MN1 to MN5), the voltage at the control terminal of the first switching transistor MN0 and the control terminal of each second switching transistor can be made the same as the reference voltage Vref, ensuring that the current flowing through the first switching transistor MN0 and each second switching transistor is the same. This allows the current flowing through the protection ring 1 to be replicated to each reference resistor.

[0055] Based on the above structure, the current values ​​flowing through each reference resistor and the current flowing through guard ring 1 can be: I=(VCC-Vref) / Rsl; Where I is the current value flowing through each reference resistor and the current flowing through the protection ring 1, VCC is the first input voltage, Vref is the reference voltage, and Rsl is the resistance value of the protection ring 1 connected to the detection circuit of the protection ring 1 resistor.

[0056] As can be seen from the above formula, the current adjustment module 2 can adaptively change the current flowing through each reference resistor and the current flowing through the protection ring 1 according to the resistance value of the protection ring 1 connected to the detection circuit of the protection ring 1 resistor, so that the detection circuit of the protection ring 1 resistor can accurately detect the protection ring 1 with different resistance values.

[0057] It should be noted that when the detection circuit of the protection ring 1 resistor needs to be used to detect protection rings 1 with different resistance values, reference resistors need to be set according to the resistance value of protection ring 1 before cutting. That is, when the resistance value of each reference resistor needs to cover the resistance value of protection ring 1 before cutting, for example, the resistance value of the first protection ring Sr0 before cutting can be 240KΩ, and the resistance value of the second protection ring Sr1 before cutting can be 20KΩ, then the smallest resistance value of each reference resistor needs to be less than or equal to 20KΩ, and the largest resistance value needs to be greater than or equal to 240KΩ.

[0058] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The operational amplifier (OPA) may include a zero-adjustment voltage generation module 223 and a zero-adjustment module 224. The zero-adjustment voltage generation module 223 is configured to generate a current with the same current value as the current flowing through the protection ring 1 (i.e., I1=I2=I3), and generate a zero-adjustment control voltage Vc based on the generated current value. The zero-adjustment module 224 may be equipped with a zero-adjustment control transistor MN6. The control terminal of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6 can be used to receive the zero-adjustment control voltage Vc. The first terminal of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6 can be connected to the second terminal of the protection ring 1, and the resistance value of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6 can be configured to dynamically adjust according to the zero-adjustment control voltage.

[0059] refer to Figure 4 Other structures of operational amplifiers (OPA) can be found in [reference]. Figure 4 The configuration includes pbias, a common bias voltage, and VCC, a common voltage source. The principle of this structure will not be elaborated here.

[0060] The resistance of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6 can decrease as the zero-adjustment control voltage Vc increases, and the resistance of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6 can increase as the zero-adjustment control voltage Vc decreases. The zero-adjustment control voltage Vc can decrease as the resistance of the protection ring 1 increases, and the zero-adjustment control voltage Vc can increase as the resistance of the protection ring 1 decreases.

[0061] Therefore, when the resistance value of the guard ring 1 is large, the zero-adjustment control voltage Vc generated by the zero-adjustment voltage generation module 223 can be reduced, thereby increasing the resistance of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6, which forms a larger zero value to cancel the second pole, increasing the phase margin. This allows for dynamic stabilization of the operational amplifier OPA when the resistance value of the guard ring 1 is large. Conversely, when the resistance value of the guard ring 1 is small, the zero-adjustment control voltage Vc generated by the zero-adjustment voltage generation module 223 can be increased, thereby reducing the resistance of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6. This allows for dynamic stabilization of the operational amplifier OPA when the resistance value of the guard ring 1 is small.

[0062] refer to Figure 4 The zero-adjustment voltage generation module 223 may include a current mirror circuit 228 and a connection circuit 227. The current mirror circuit 228 may include a first branch 225 and a second branch 226. The first branch 225 may include a first transistor MN7, a second transistor MN8, and a third transistor MN9. The first terminal of the first transistor MN7 is connected to the third power supply VDD. The second terminal of the first transistor MN7 is connected to the first terminal of the second transistor MN8. The first terminal of the second transistor MN8 is also connected to the control terminal of the second transistor MN8. The control terminal of the second transistor MN8 is connected to the control terminal of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6, which can be used to output the zero-adjustment voltage. The second terminal of the second transistor MN8 is connected to the first terminal of the third transistor MN9. The first terminal of the third transistor MN9 is also connected to the control terminal of the third transistor MN9. The second terminal of the third transistor MN9 is grounded.

[0063] The second branch 226 may include a fourth transistor MN10 and a fifth transistor MN11. The first terminal of the fourth transistor MN10 is connected to the third power supply VDD, the control terminal of the fourth transistor MN10 is connected to the control terminal of the first transistor MN7, and the control terminal of the fourth transistor MN10 is connected to its second terminal. The second terminal of the fourth transistor MN10 is also connected to the first terminal of the fifth transistor MN11, and the second terminal of the fifth transistor MN11 is grounded.

[0064] The connection circuit 227 may include a sixth transistor MN12. The first terminal of the sixth transistor MN12 is connected to the second terminal of the protection ring 1 and one terminal of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6. The second terminal of the sixth transistor MN12 is grounded. The control terminal of the sixth transistor MN12 is connected to the control terminal of the fifth transistor MN11.

[0065] Therefore, when measuring the first guard ring Sr0 with a larger resistance value, the current I1 flowing through the connecting circuit 227 is smaller. Since the currents I2 in the first branch 225, I3 in the second branch 226, and I1 in the connecting circuit 227 are all the same, the zero-adjustment control voltage Vc generated by the second transistor MN8 is lower, resulting in a lower control terminal voltage for the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6. Consequently, the resistance generated at the gate terminal of the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6, which is compensated by Miller, is larger, thus stabilizing the entire operational amplifier OPA loop. When measuring the second guard ring Sr1 with a smaller resistance value, the current I1 flowing through the connecting circuit 227 is larger. Since the currents I2 in the first branch 225, I3 in the second branch 226, and I1 in the connecting circuit 227 are all the same, the zero-adjustment control voltage Vc generated by the second transistor MN8 is higher, resulting in a lower control terminal voltage for the zero-adjustment control transistor MN6, which is compensated by Miller. This also results in a smaller resistance, dynamically compensating for the stability of the entire operational amplifier OPA loop.

[0066] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The reference resistors (R3 to Rn) can be set sequentially in order of increasing or decreasing resistance values. The resistance detection module 3 includes multiple comparators (CMP1 to CMPn). The first input terminal of each comparator can be configured to acquire a first voltage value, the second input terminal of each comparator can be connected to the second terminal of each reference resistor to acquire a second voltage value, and the output terminal of each comparator is used to output a level signal to form a signal sequence. Specifically, when the first voltage value is greater than a second voltage value, the comparator outputs a first-level signal; when the first voltage value is less than the second voltage value, the comparator outputs a second-level signal. In the signal sequence, the reference resistors corresponding to adjacent first-level and second-level signals are respectively the first-type reference resistor and the second-type reference resistor with the closest resistance values. Thus, the resistance range of guard ring 1 can be intuitively obtained through the signal sequences generated by multiple comparators.

[0067] For example, the detection circuit of the protection ring 1 resistor can include five reference resistors (R3 to R7). Each reference resistor can be set in order of increasing resistance value, that is: the resistance value of the first reference resistor R3 can be 10KΩ, the resistance value of the second reference resistor R4 can be 30KΩ, the resistance value of the third reference resistor R5 can be 240KΩ, the resistance value of the fourth reference resistor R6 can be 480KΩ, and the resistance value of the fifth reference resistor R7 can be 800KΩ.

[0068] The resistance detection module 3 may include five comparators (CMP1 to CMP5), which can output a signal sequence Code<4:0>. The first terminal of the first comparator CMP1 can acquire a first voltage value, the second terminal of the first comparator CMP1 is connected to the second terminal of the first reference resistor R3, and the output terminal of the first comparator CMP1 can output Code. <0> The first terminal of the second comparator CMP2 can obtain the first voltage value. The second terminal of the second comparator CMP2 is connected to the second terminal of the second reference resistor R4. The output terminal of the second comparator CMP2 can output Code. <1> The first terminal of the third comparator CMP3 can obtain the first voltage value. The second terminal of the third comparator CMP3 is connected to the second terminal of the third reference resistor R5. The output terminal of the third comparator CMP3 can output the Code. <2> The first terminal of the fourth comparator CMP4 can obtain the first voltage value. The second terminal of the fourth comparator CMP4 is connected to the second terminal of the fourth reference resistor R6. The output terminal of the fourth comparator CMP4 can output a code. <3> The first terminal of the fifth comparator CMP5 can obtain the first voltage value. The second terminal of the fifth comparator CMP5 is connected to the second terminal of the fifth reference resistor R7. The output terminal of the fifth comparator CMP5 can output a code. <4> .

[0069] When the second voltage value at the second terminal of any reference resistor is greater than the first voltage value, the comparator can output Code = "0"; when the second voltage value at the second terminal of any reference resistor is less than the first voltage value, the comparator can output Code = "1". If the signal sequence Code<4:0> = "00001" output by multiple comparators, it means that the resistance value of guard ring 1 is between the resistance values ​​of the first reference resistor R3 and the second reference resistor R4. If the signal sequence Code<4:0> = "00111" output by multiple comparators, it means that the resistance value of guard ring 1 is between the resistance values ​​of the third reference resistor R5 and the fourth reference resistor R6. If the signal sequence Code<4:0> = "00000" output by multiple comparators, it means that the resistance value of guard ring 1 is less than the resistance values ​​of all reference resistors, and guard ring 1 can be considered short-circuited. If the signal sequence Code<4:0> = "11111" output by multiple comparators, it means that the resistance value of guard ring 1 is greater than the resistance values ​​of all reference resistors, and guard ring 1 can be considered open-circuited.

[0070] When the current adjustment module 2 is equipped with a reference voltage input module 21, since the reference voltage Vref has the same voltage value as the first voltage, the first terminal of each comparator can be connected to the reference voltage input module 21 to obtain the voltage value of the reference voltage Vref.

[0071] Furthermore, based on the detection circuit for the resistance of guard ring 1 described above, this embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a method for detecting the resistance of guard ring 1. (See reference...) Figures 1 to 5 The method for detecting the resistance of the guard ring 1 according to the present disclosure may include the following steps: Step S121: Provide multiple reference resistors with different resistance values.

[0072] Step S122: Provide a first input voltage to the first terminal of the protection ring 1 and the first terminal of the plurality of reference resistors, and make the current flowing through the protection ring 1 and the plurality of reference resistors have the same current value.

[0073] Step S123: Obtain the first voltage value of the second terminal of the protection ring 1 and the second voltage value of the second terminal of each reference resistor, and compare the first voltage value with each second voltage value to obtain the resistance value of the protection ring 1.

[0074] In some embodiments, when the guard ring 1 includes at least a first guard ring Sr0 and a second guard ring Sr1, in step S122, a first input voltage can be provided to the first end of one of the guard rings 1 (e.g., the first guard ring Sr0) and the first end of the plurality of reference resistors, and the current flowing through the guard ring 1 (e.g., the first guard ring Sr0) and the plurality of reference resistors has the same current value.

[0075] In step S123, the first voltage value of the second terminal of the protection ring 1 (e.g., the first protection ring Sr0) and the second voltage value of the second terminal of each reference resistor can be obtained, and the first voltage value is compared with each second voltage value to obtain the resistance value of the protection ring 1 (e.g., the first protection ring Sr0).

[0076] After executing step S123, you can return to execute step S122 again. When executing step S122 again, you can provide a first input voltage to the first end of another protection ring 1 (e.g., the second protection ring Sr1) and the first end of the plurality of reference resistors, and make the current flowing through the protection ring 1 (e.g., the second protection ring Sr1) and the plurality of reference resistors have the same current value.

[0077] Furthermore, after executing step S122 again, step S123 can be executed again. When executing step S123 again, the first voltage value of the second terminal of the protection ring 1 (e.g., the second protection ring Sr1) and the second voltage value of the second terminal of each reference resistor can be obtained, and the first voltage value is compared with each second voltage value to obtain the resistance value of the protection ring 1 (e.g., the second protection ring Sr1).

[0078] It should be noted that in the above embodiments regarding the detection circuit of the protection ring 1 resistor, each detection step in the detection method of the protection ring 1 resistor has been explained. Therefore, the detection steps in the detection method of the protection ring 1 resistor will not be repeated in this subject matter. Please refer to the above embodiments, which are all within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0079] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the claims.

[0080] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A detection circuit for a guard ring resistor, characterized in that, include: Multiple reference resistors, each with a different resistance value; A first power supply is connected to the first end of the protection ring and the first end of the plurality of reference resistors, and is used to input a first input voltage to the protection ring and the plurality of reference resistors; A current adjustment module, connected to the second end of the protection ring and the second end of the plurality of reference resistors, is configured to make the current flowing through the protection ring and the plurality of reference resistors have the same current value; The resistance detection module is configured to acquire a first voltage value at the second end of the protection ring and a second voltage value at the second end of each of the reference resistors, and compare the first voltage value with each of the second voltage values ​​to obtain the resistance value of the protection ring.

2. The detection circuit for the guard ring resistance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reference resistors corresponding to each of the second voltage values ​​that are less than the first voltage value are first-type reference resistors, and the reference resistors corresponding to each of the second voltage values ​​that are greater than the first voltage value are second-type reference resistors. Among the first type of reference resistors and the second type of reference resistors, the resistance value of the guard ring is located between the resistance values ​​of the first type of reference resistor and the second type of reference resistor that have the closest resistance values.

3. The detection circuit for the guard ring resistance according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guard ring has at least two rings, and the resistance values ​​of the at least two guard rings are different; The first power supply and the current adjustment module can be connected to any one of at least two of the protection rings, and the first power supply is configured to input the first input voltage to the protection ring connected to the first power supply, and the current adjustment module is configured to make the current flowing through the plurality of reference resistors and the current flowing through the protection ring connected to the current adjustment module have the same current value.

4. The detection circuit for the guard ring resistance according to claim 3, characterized in that, The current adjustment module includes: The reference voltage input module is configured to provide a reference voltage; The current output module is configured to receive the reference voltage and make the first voltage value the same as the voltage value of the reference voltage, and the current output module is further configured to make the current flowing through each of the reference resistors have the same current value as the current flowing through the guard ring.

5. The detection circuit for the guard ring resistance according to claim 4, characterized in that, The current output module includes: A voltage fixing module is connected to the reference voltage input module to receive the reference voltage, and the voltage fixing module is connected to the second end of the protection ring to receive the first voltage and make the voltage value of the first voltage the same as the voltage value of the reference voltage. A current replication module, wherein a first end of the current replication module is connected to a second end of the protection ring and a second end of each of the reference resistors, and the current replication module is configured to make the current flowing through each of the reference resistors have the same current value as the current flowing through the protection ring.

6. The detection circuit for the protection ring resistance according to claim 5, characterized in that, The voltage fixing module includes: An operational amplifier is provided, wherein its first input terminal is connected to the reference voltage input module to receive the reference voltage, its second input terminal is connected to the second terminal of the guard ring, and its output terminal is connected to the second terminal of each of the reference resistors.

7. The detection circuit for the guard ring resistance according to claim 6, characterized in that, The operational amplifier includes: A zero-adjustment voltage generation module is configured to generate a current with the same current value as the current flowing through the protection ring, and generate a zero-adjustment control voltage based on the current value of the generated current. The zero-adjustment module is equipped with a zero-adjustment control tube. The control terminal of the zero-adjustment control tube is used to receive the zero-adjustment control voltage. The first terminal of the zero-adjustment control tube is connected to the second terminal of the protection ring. The resistance value of the zero-adjustment control tube is configured to be dynamically adjusted according to the zero-adjustment control voltage. The resistance value of the zero-adjustment control transistor decreases as the voltage value of the zero-adjustment control voltage increases, and the resistance value of the zero-adjustment control transistor increases as the voltage value of the zero-adjustment control voltage decreases; the voltage value of the zero-adjustment control voltage decreases as the resistance value of the protection ring increases, and the voltage value of the zero-adjustment control voltage increases as the resistance value of the protection ring decreases.

8. The detection circuit for the guard ring resistance according to claim 6, characterized in that, The current replication module includes: A first switching transistor, the control terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier, the first terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of the protection ring, and the second terminal of the first switching transistor is connected to the second power supply. Multiple second switching transistors are provided, the control terminal of each second switching transistor is connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier, the first terminal of each second switching transistor is connected to the second terminal of each reference resistor, and the second terminal of each second switching transistor is connected to the second power supply.

9. The detection circuit for the guard ring resistor according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that, The reference resistors are arranged sequentially in order of increasing or decreasing resistance value. The resistance detection module includes: Multiple comparators are provided, each with a first input terminal configured to acquire a first voltage value, a second input terminal connected to a second terminal of a reference resistor for acquiring a second voltage value, and an output terminal for outputting a level signal to form a signal sequence. Wherein, when the first voltage value is greater than a second voltage value, the comparator outputs a first level signal; when the first voltage value is less than a second voltage value, the comparator outputs a second level signal; in the signal sequence, the reference resistors corresponding to adjacent first level signals and second level signals are respectively the first type of reference resistor and the second type of reference resistor with the closest resistance values.

10. The detection circuit for the guard ring resistance according to claim 9, characterized in that, The protection ring fails when all of the first voltage values ​​are less than each of the second voltage values, or when all of the first voltage values ​​are greater than each of the second voltage values.

11. A method for detecting the resistance of a guard ring, characterized in that, include: Provide multiple reference resistors with different resistance values; A first input voltage is provided to the first end of the guard ring and the first ends of the plurality of reference resistors, and the current flowing through the guard ring and the plurality of reference resistors has the same current value; Obtain a first voltage value at the second end of the protection ring and a second voltage value at the second end of each of the reference resistors, and compare the first voltage value with each of the second voltage values ​​to obtain the resistance value of the protection ring.

12. A memory, characterized in that, The circuit includes a detection circuit for the protection ring resistor as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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