CMOS IC diagnostics using the luminescence of OFF-state leakage currents

Abstract

The light emission from ever increasing leakage currents in advanced CMOS technologies can now be reliably measured using existing photon detectors. The measurements of this emission provide valuable information about the operation of ICs. In this paper we suggest and experimentally demonstrate the following optical techniques: (1) transient logic state detection, (2) transient device temperature measurement, and (3) signal integrity analysis, including crosstalk and power supply noise measurements.