| US 7,512,916 B2 | ||
| Electrostatic discharge testing method and semiconductor device fabrication method | ||
| Sachio Hayashi, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Oct. 03, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/243,355. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. P2004-294961 (JP), filed on Oct. 07, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0109596 A1, May 25, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G06F 17/50 (2006.01); H02H 9/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 716—5 [716/4; 716/12; 361/56] | 20 Claims |
| 1. A method for determining a layout which passes testing for electrostatic discharge in a semiconductor device, comprising:
extracting an electrostatic discharge protection network comprising pads, nets and protective elements from the layout of
the semiconductor device;
setting start pads and end pads from the pads in the electrostatic discharge protection network;
detecting inter-pad voltages between the start pads and the end pads and electrostatic discharge current paths along which
the nets and the protective elements are arranged in a sequential order from the start pads to the end pads;
grouping, via a grouping process, the electrostatic discharge current paths along with the nets and the protective elements
arranged in the sequential order of the detecting the inter-pad voltages step, wherein the grouping process includes grouping
the electrostatic discharge current paths as a function of corresponding sequential order of names of elements in the one
electrostatic discharge current oath including one or more of names for I/O cells connected to pads, net names, protective
element names, or names for I/O cells to which protective elements belong;
calculating estimated values of electrostatic discharge withstand voltages between the start pads and the end pads, based
on the inter-pad voltages between the start pads and the end pads and groups to which the start pads and the end pads belong,
using a negative correlation between the inter-pad voltages and corresponding electrostatic withstand voltages for each group;
and
providing a result indicating determination of whether the layout passes testing for electrostatic discharge, based on the
estimated values.
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