Internal Voltage Generating Circuit for TDBI Voltage Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
During TDBI (Test During Burn-in) operations, the internal voltage in semiconductor devices experiences a rapid drop due to increased leakage current and high temperature, leading to potential semiconductor device failure and reliability issues.
Innovation Solution
An internal voltage generating circuit that drives the active internal voltage generating unit in both active and standby sections during test operations, using a test operation signal to maintain stable voltage levels, preventing sudden drops and ensuring continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the standby internal voltage generating circuit is used during test operations, then power consumption is reduced, but internal voltage drops due to increased leakage current at high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between standby and active internal voltage generating circuits based on operational mode. During normal operations, the standby circuit with lower drivability is used to save power. During test operations at high temperature, the active circuit with higher drivability is activated to maintain stable internal voltage despite increased leakage current. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between power consumption and voltage stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the internal voltage generating circuit based on temperature and operation mode. By detecting test operation conditions and high temperature environments, the system switches from the low-power standby mode to the high-performance active mode, adjusting the drivability parameter to match the operational requirements and prevent voltage drop.
2Reliability
If the active internal voltage generating circuit is always on, then internal voltage stability is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the internal voltage generating functionality into two separate circuits: a standby internal voltage generating circuit with lower drivability for normal operations, and an active internal voltage generating circuit with higher drivability for test operations. This segmentation allows the system to select the appropriate circuit based on operational mode, avoiding the continuous high power consumption of always using the active circuit while maintaining voltage stability when needed.
3Productivity
If cell size is miniaturized for higher integration, then device density increases, but operating voltage becomes more sensitive to external variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares two internal voltage generating circuits with different drivability characteristics in advance. The standby circuit is designed with lower drivability for normal operations, while the active circuit is pre-configured with higher drivability to compensate for voltage sensitivity in miniaturized cells during test operations. This preliminary preparation ensures that when test operations require higher stability, the appropriate circuit can be immediately activated without voltage fluctuations.
Data Source
AI summary
An internal voltage generating circuit is utilized to perform a TDBI (Test During Burn-in) operation for a semiconductor device. The internal voltage generating circuit produces an internal voltage at a high voltage level, as an internal voltage, in not only a standby section but also in an active section in response to a test operation signal activated in a test operation. Accordingly, dropping of the internal voltage in the standby section of the test operation and failure due to open or short circuiting are prevented. As a result, reliability of the semiconductor chip, by preventing the generation of latch-up caused by breakdown of internal circuits, is assured.