Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
REMOTE MAPPING OF CIRCUIT SPEED VARIATION DUE TO PROCESS, VOLTAGE AND TEMPERATURE USING A NETWORK OF DIGITAL SENSORS

Abstract:

A digital sensor network is overlaid on an integrated circuit for identifying and mapping hotspots in the integrated circuit. The digital sensor network may include a plurality of digital sensors distributed within an area of an integrated circuit component of an integrated circuit. Each of the plurality of digital sensors may include a ring oscillator and may be configured to output a counter value of a ring oscillator counted over a designated period. A sensor network control unit may be provided that is communicatively connected to the plurality of digital sensors via a communication circuit. The sensor network control unit may be configured to receive a plurality of counter values including the counter value from each of the plurality of digital sensors and identify a hotspot within the area of the integrated circuit.