Product relevant device leakage scribe characterization vehicle test chip for efficient full wafer testing

Being successful in semiconductor manufacturing of sub 50nm devices requires controlling variability of device leakage. Full wafer monitoring is essential to provide significant data. The Device Leakage Scribe Characterization Vehicle (CV^®) Test Chips presented here fit well within the scribe area constraints of product wafers. Their devices under test (DUT) are using product relevant layout pattern to support new product introduction. Those DUTs are passively connected into a Passive Leakage Array (PLA) to increase the signal to noise ratio of the device leakage measurements, which is essential to enable full wafer testing within existing test time restrictions on product wafers. Furthermore, the PLAs can be arranged inside a Multiplexed Leakage Array (MLA), which significantly increases the number of experiments within the precious scribe line area.