Patent ID: 7572650

Claim:
A method for identifying LMPF (Localized Metal Precipitate Formation) in a semiconductor structure, the method comprising: providing the semiconductor structure which includes (a) a first electrically conductive wire, (b) a first semiconductor region doped with N type dopants and electrically coupled to the first electrically conductive wire, (c) a monitoring ramp terminal being near the first electrically conductive wire and electrically disconnected from the first electrically conductive wire, (d) a second electrically conductive wire, and (e) a second semiconductor region doped with P type dopants and electrically coupled to the second electrically conductive wire; applying a voltage difference to the monitoring ramp terminal and a select wire selected from the group consisting of the first and second electrically conductive wires; and measuring a current flowing between the select wire and the monitoring ramp terminal so as to determine whether LMPF occurs at the first electrically conductive wire.