Patent ID: 8822993
Filing Date: 2014-09-02
Classification: G01R,H01L

Abstract:
1. An integrated circuit comprising: a substrate; a first metal layer disposed on the substrate and including a sensor structure configured to indicate a condition of a portion of the integrated circuit, wherein the sensor structure includes a set of via links configured to fracture in response to a crack in the integrated circuit, each of the via links connected to each other through at least one channel to form a chain of interconnected via links; and a second metal layer disposed proximate the first metal layer, the second metal layer including a wire component disposed proximate the sensor structure, wherein some of the via links in the set of via links have ends disposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer and other via links in the set of via links have ends in a location that are outside a vertical correspondence formed between a position of the first metal layer with respect to a position of the second metal layer.