Method for verification of inductor de-embedding accuracy by cross-check of measurements with a LC circuit

An innovative method for verification of de-embedding errors after inductor on-wafer measurements is presented. This first de-embedding verification method, there were no references found in literature, is easy to implement by designing a LC circuit with a Metal Insulator Metal (MIM) capacitor inside the Ground-Signal-Ground (GSG) test structure used for inductor characterization. The S parameter measurements of LC circuit (L-inductor under test, C-MIM) and of an “open dummy” including the MIM, are used to cross-check the inductor measurements in order to verify the de-embedding accuracy. This verification allows an easy identification of S-parameter measurement issues and of de-embedding in-accuracies, and futures an important gain of time for small signal equivalent circuit extraction. The method has been validated in the case of “8-shaped” inductor fabricated in QuBiC (Quality Bipolar CMOS) process by measurements up to 50 GHz.