Kelvin Sensor Self-Heating Extraction Power Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices at the nanometer level exhibit self-heating effects, making it challenging to accurately predict device performance and power consumption, as existing methods fail to account for non-linear temperature versus power measurements due to increased power consumption at device metal wiring and contacts.
Innovation Solution
A self-heating design and characterization methodology using a FinFET with a four-terminal Kelvin sensor that measures electrical impedance and resistance across the device, excluding voltage drops to accurately determine temperature and power consumption, allowing for improved thermal modeling and device performance prediction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional two-terminal measurement method is used to measure power consumption, then the measurement is simpler to implement, but the measurement precision is degraded due to voltage drops along wiring and contact resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system is segmented into two separate functions: a four-terminal Kelvin sensor structure that performs high-precision voltage and current measurements, and a dedicated heater structure that generates controlled thermal effects. This segmentation allows the measurement function to be isolated from the heating function, enabling accurate power consumption measurement by separately measuring voltage across the device terminals while current flows through dedicated current paths, thereby eliminating the coupling of contact resistance errors into the power measurement
Solution Approach 2:
A four-terminal Kelvin sensor acts as an intermediary measurement device between the test equipment and the heater structure. The Kelvin sensor's four terminals (two for voltage measurement, two for current measurement) serve as an intermediate interface that decouples the measurement circuit from the heating circuit, allowing voltage drops in current-carrying paths to be excluded from the power consumption calculation while maintaining measurement simplicity through standardized Kelvin connection methods
2Quantity of substance
If power consumption at device metal wiring and contacts is included in measurements, then the measurement captures total system power, but the reliability of device-specific performance prediction is degraded due to non-linear temperature versus power relationships
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement methodology extracts and isolates the power consumption specifically at the device under test by using the four-terminal Kelvin sensor to measure voltage directly across the device terminals while current flows through the device. This extraction method separates device-specific power consumption from the total system power that includes metal wiring and contact losses, thereby providing reliable device-specific performance prediction data by measuring only the power dissipated in the active device region
Solution Approach 2:
The four-terminal Kelvin measurement technique applies local quality measurement by placing voltage sensing terminals directly at the device terminals of interest, thereby measuring power consumption locally at the device rather than globally across the entire system. This local measurement approach ensures that only the power consumption of the specific device structure is captured, excluding contributions from distant metal wiring and contact resistance, thus improving the reliability of device-specific thermal and electrical characterization
3Measurement precision
If a four-terminal Kelvin sensor structure is used to measure electrical characteristics, then the measurement precision is improved by excluding voltage drops, but the device complexity increases due to additional terminals and connection requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The four-terminal Kelvin sensor structure is merged with the heater device structure by integrating the Kelvin terminals directly into the device fabrication process. The Kelvin voltage terminals are formed as part of the device metal layers, and the Kelvin current terminals are integrated with the device contact structures, thereby combining the measurement function with the device structure itself. This merging reduces overall system complexity by eliminating separate measurement fixtures and simplifying connection requirements while maintaining high measurement precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate measurement of self-heating effects and power consumption, enhancing device reliability and performance prediction by excluding metal/contact resistance drops, thus providing more precise thermal and electrical characterization.
Implementation Method 1
the power sensor that performs electrical impedance measuring is configured as a four terminal Kelvin sensor, that connects to the FinFET device in a manner that allows the voltage across a device structure whose impedance is to be measured while avoiding voltage drops along the wiring or contact in the current measurement loop
Implementation Method 2
Semiconductor transistor device nodes developed at the nanometer level can exhibit self-heating effects
Implementation Method 3
the sensor is located adjacent the heater device and is structured for measuring an electrical characteristic used for determining thermal impacting device parameters such as a voltage threshold or subthreshold slope due to the adjacent heater FET
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device structure and methodology for determining a power consumption of the device structure and to extract accurate real temperatures due to self-heating effects. The semiconductor device structure includes a first transistor device formed as a heater device and an adjacent device such as a second transistor device or a semiconductor junction device. In the method, the first transistor device is operable at different operating states (e.g., off state or at different applied power levels), and at each state, an electrical characteristic is measured at the adjacent second transistor device or junction device. The electrical characteristic measured at the adjacent second semiconductor device is correlated to a power consumption of the first device while excluding a power consumption due to voltage drops due to resistance of connected metal layers, vias or contacts. Accurate thermal conductivity is thus achievable for better Design Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO) and device/circuit reliability evaluation.