Patent ID: 6869808

Claim:
A method for evaluating a property of an integrated circuit which varies depending on a manufacturing condition therefor, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining respective properties of first and second circuits each manufactured under a first manufacturing condition before and after the properties thereof are degraded as a result of using the first and second circuits for a specified period; (b) determining, based on the properties before and after degradation obtained in the step (a), an interrelation between respective degrees of property degradation of the first and second circuits; (c) determining a degree of degradation of a property of a third circuit manufactured under a second manufacturing condition, a difference between the respective degrees of property degradation of the first and third circuits being within a specified range; and (d) estimating, based on the interrelation and on the degree of property degradation of the third circuit, a degree of degradation of a property of a fourth circuit manufactured under the second manufacturing condition, a difference between the respective degrees of property degradation of the second and fourth circuits being within a specified range.