Pulsed I-V Measurement Cable Resistance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
DC measurements for semiconductor devices often result in significant heating, rendering the measurements unreliable due to the impracticality of high precision techniques like Kelvin measurements in the pulse regime.
Innovation Solution
A pulsed I-V measurement system is calibrated by shorting the DUT ends of test conductors, sourcing voltage through the load resistance, measuring voltages across both pulse measurement devices, determining the sense resistance, and using this resistance to correct measurements, thereby removing errors caused by uncertainty in sense resistance and cable resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If DC measurements are used for semiconductor devices, then I-V characteristics can be obtained, but significant heating occurs resulting in unreliable measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic pulsed measurements instead of continuous DC measurements. The measurement system uses short-duration voltage pulses to characterize the semiconductor device, allowing the device to cool between pulses and preventing significant temperature rise while still obtaining accurate I-V characteristics.
2Temperature
If pulsed measurements are used to avoid heating, then temperature issues are resolved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to uncertainty in sense resistance and cable resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calibration measurements to determine the resistance values of test conductors and sense resistors before actual device measurements. By characterizing these parasitic elements in advance, the system can compensate for their effects during pulsed measurements, maintaining measurement accuracy despite the pulsed nature of the signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement system uses feedback from calibration measurements to correct subsequent device measurements. The determined resistance values of test conductors and sense resistors are used to compensate for voltage drops and measurement errors, ensuring accurate I-V characteristics are obtained even with pulsed measurement techniques.
3Measurement precision
If Kelvin measurements are used for high precision DC measurements, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the technique becomes impractical in the pulse regime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and separately characterizes the parasitic resistance elements (test conductor resistance and sense resistor resistance) from the measurement system. By measuring these components independently during calibration and removing their effects through compensation calculations, the system achieves high precision measurements without requiring complex Kelvin connection techniques in the pulsed regime.
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 method allows for accurate pulsed I-V measurements by correcting for errors in sense resistance and cable resistance, ensuring reliable data without the heating issues associated with DC measurements.
Implementation Method 1
sourcing a first voltage pulse through the test conductors and the load resistance of the first pulse measurement device with the pulse generator
Implementation Method 2
measuring a second voltage pulse across the first pulse measurement device load resistance with the first pulse measurement device
Implementation Method 3
measuring a third voltage pulse across the sense resistance with the second pulse measurement device
Implementation Method 4
determining the current through the sense resistance of the second pulse measurement device based on the second voltage and the first pulse measurement device load resistance
Data Source
AI summary
The errors related to the resistance of test conductors and sense/load resistances for a pulse I-V measurement system are determined by making open circuit and through circuit measurements using a combination of DC and pulse instrument measurements.