Patent attributes
Techniques are described to monitor charging of an integrated circuit during manufacturing processes. In one example, an integrated circuit includes first and second pads adapted to be charged by charge carriers during manufacture of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit also includes a reference nonvolatile memory cell comprising a floating gate and a control gate, wherein the control gate is coupled to the first pad. The integrated circuit further includes a charging protection device coupled to the control gate of the reference memory cell and adapted to limit the gate voltage of the control gate induced by the charge carriers. In addition, the integrated circuit includes a charging monitor nonvolatile memory cell comprising a floating gate and a control gate, wherein the control gate is coupled to the second pad but not to a charging protection device adapted to limit the gate voltage of the control gate.
