Integrated circuit reliability testing

A technique is described for use in determining the reliability of microscopic conductors deposited on an uneven surface of an integrated circuit device. A wafer containing integrated circuit chips is formed with a test area having regions of different heights. At the time the conductors are formed on the chip areas of the wafer, an elongated serpentine assay conductor is deposited on the test area so the assay conductor extends over multiple steps between regions of different heights. Also, a first test conductor is deposited in the test area upon a uniform region of first height, and a second test conductor is deposited in the test area upon a uniform region of second height. The occurrence of high resistances at the steps between regions of different height is indicated by deriving the measured length of the serpentine conductor using the resistance measured between the ends of the serpentine conductor, and comparing that to the design length of the serpentine conductor. The percentage by which the measured length exceeds the design length, at which the integrated circuit will be discarded, depends on the required reliability of the integrated circuit

Integrated circuit reliability testing

A technique is described for use in determining the reliability of microscopic conductors deposited on an uneven surface of an integrated circuit device. A wafer containing integrated circuit chips is formed with a test area having regions of different heights. At the time the conductors are formed on the chip areas of the wafer, an elongated serpentine assay conductor is deposited on the test area so the assay conductor extends over multiple steps between regions of different heights. Also, a first test conductor is deposited in the test area upon a uniform region of first height, and a second test conductor is deposited in the test area upon a uniform region of second height. The occurrence of high resistances at the steps between regions of different height is indicated by deriving the measured length of the serpentine conductor using the resistance measured between the ends of the serpentine conductor, and comparing that to the design length of the serpentine conductor. The percentage by which the measured length exceeds the design length, at which the integrated circuit will be discarded, depends on the required reliability of the integrated circuit

Insecticidal activity of four medicinal plant extracts against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Methanol extracts from four medicinal plants, Peganum harmala (Zygophyllaceae), Ajuga iva (Labiateae), Aristolochia baetica (Aristolochiaceae) and Raphanus raphanistrum (Brassicaceae) werestudied for their insecticidal effects on the stored grain pest Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Response varied with plant species. Larvae growth was significantly inhibited when they were fed with extracts incorporated into the diet. Good insecticidal activity against T. castaneum larvae and adults wasachieved with extract of P. harmala seeds, followed by extract of A. iva, Ari. baetica and R. raphanistrum aerial parts. The extracts of the four plants disrupted the developmental cycle of the insect. Extracts of P. harmala, A. iva and Ari. baetica inhibited F1 progeny production. These naturally occurring plant extracts could be useful for managing populations of T. castaneu

End-of-fabrication CMOS process monitor

A set of test 'modules' for verifying the quality of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process at the end of the wafer fabrication is documented. By electrical testing of specific structures, over thirty parameters are collected characterizing interconnects, dielectrics, contacts, transistors, and inverters. Each test module contains a specification of its purpose, the layout of the test structure, the test procedures, the data reduction algorithms, and exemplary results obtained from 3-, 2-, or 1.6-micrometer CMOS/bulk processes. The document is intended to establish standard process qualification procedures for Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC's)

Product assurance technology for procuring reliable, radiation-hard, custom LSI/VLSI electronics

Advanced measurement methods using microelectronic test chips are described. These chips are intended to be used in acquiring the data needed to qualify Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC's) for space use. Efforts were focused on developing the technology for obtaining custom IC's from CMOS/bulk silicon foundries. A series of test chips were developed: a parametric test strip, a fault chip, a set of reliability chips, and the CRRES (Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite) chip, a test circuit for monitoring space radiation effects. The technical accomplishments of the effort include: (1) development of a fault chip that contains a set of test structures used to evaluate the density of various process-induced defects; (2) development of new test structures and testing techniques for measuring gate-oxide capacitance, gate-overlap capacitance, and propagation delay; (3) development of a set of reliability chips that are used to evaluate failure mechanisms in CMOS/bulk: interconnect and contact electromigration and time-dependent dielectric breakdown; (4) development of MOSFET parameter extraction procedures for evaluating subthreshold characteristics; (5) evaluation of test chips and test strips on the second CRRES wafer run; (6) two dedicated fabrication runs for the CRRES chip flight parts; and (7) publication of two papers: one on the split-cross bridge resistor and another on asymmetrical SRAM (static random access memory) cells for single-event upset analysis

Product assurance technology for custom LSI/VLSI electronics

The technology for obtaining custom integrated circuits from CMOS-bulk silicon foundries using a universal set of layout rules is presented. The technical efforts were guided by the requirement to develop a 3 micron CMOS test chip for the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES). This chip contains both analog and digital circuits. The development employed all the elements required to obtain custom circuits from silicon foundries, including circuit design, foundry interfacing, circuit test, and circuit qualification

Anévrysme de l’aorte ascendante associé à une insuffisance aortique massive: complication rare et grave de la maladie de Behçet

L'atteinte artérielle au cours de la maladie de Behçet survient chez 2 à 12% des patients et se traduit par des lésions oblitérantes et/ou anévrysmales prédominant sur les gros troncs. Les complications cardiaques sont plus rares (1 à 6%) touchant les trois tuniques. En revanche, les anévrysmes de l'aorte ascendante associés à une insuffisance aortique restent une complication très rare de la maladie de Behçet. Nous rapportons l'observation d'un jeune patient de 35ans suivie pour une maladie de Behçet compliquée d'un anévrysme de l'aorte ascendante associé à une régurgitation aortique massive. Le diagnostic a été posé sur les données cliniques radiologiques de l'échocardiographie et de la tomodensitométrie puis confirmé à l'examen histologique de la pièce. Le traitement était chirurgical et a consisté en un remplacement total de la racine de l'aorte à coeur ouvert selon la technique de Bentall afin d'éviter le risque de rupture ou de dissection. L'évolution à 18 mois de l'intervention était favorable. Le traitement médical associant la corticothérapie et les immunosuppresseurs est la règle en postopératoire pour éviter les récidives

Cystadénocarcinome de la base de la langue

Introduction: Les cancers de la base de langue sont des tumeurs agressives et silencieuses. Le cystadénocarcinome est une tumeur maligne du tissu glandulaire ayant une composante kystique intéressant principalement les glandes salivaires accessoires.Observation: Nous rapportons le cas d’un patient âgé de 78 ans, qui a consulté pour une dysphagie haute aux solides évoluant depuis 2 ans, sans notion de dyspnée ni de dysphonie. Une formation kystique de la base de la langue a été mise en évidence. on a complété par un examen tomodensitométrique et une iRm qui ont montré une formation bienlimitée mesurant 3 cm aux dépens de la base de la langue, latéralisée à droite et comblant partiellement la vallécule droite. Le patient a été opéré par voie cervicale infra mandibulaire avec exérèse chirurgicale en monobloc et l’examen anatomopathologique a conclut à un  cystadénocarcinome lingual. Un curage fonctionnel bilatéral a été pratiqué complété ensuite par une radiothérapie.Conclusion: Le cystadénocarcinome de la base de la langue est une entité très rare. La symptomatologie clinique est pauvre. Les métastases ganglionnaires sont fréquentes. La tomodensitométrie et l’imagerie par résonance magnétique sont nécessaires pour approcher la nature et l’extension de la tumeur. Le traitement est chirurgical et peut être suivi d’une radiothérapie.Mots Cles: cystadenocarcinome, base de langue, chirurgi

Repeated games for eikonal equations, integral curvature flows and non-linear parabolic integro-differential equations

The main purpose of this paper is to approximate several non-local evolution equations by zero-sum repeated games in the spirit of the previous works of Kohn and the second author (2006 and 2009): general fully non-linear parabolic integro-differential equations on the one hand, and the integral curvature flow of an interface (Imbert, 2008) on the other hand. In order to do so, we start by constructing such a game for eikonal equations whose speed has a non-constant sign. This provides a (discrete) deterministic control interpretation of these evolution equations. In all our games, two players choose positions successively, and their final payoff is determined by their positions and additional parameters of choice. Because of the non-locality of the problems approximated, by contrast with local problems, their choices have to "collect" information far from their current position. For integral curvature flows, players choose hypersurfaces in the whole space and positions on these hypersurfaces. For parabolic integro-differential equations, players choose smooth functions on the whole space