METHOD FOR VERIFYING HOT CARRIER DETERIORATION LIFE OF SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

PURPOSE:To verify the operation life of a large scale semiconductor integrated circuit without error within a short period of time by previously obtaining the operation life of circuit elements including problems in the cell with the operating conditions changed as the parameter. CONSTITUTION:A voltage to be impressed to a circuit element is obtained by a transistor simulation with the operating condition changed as a parameter for a circuit element giving influence on the deterioration life with hot carrier in a cell which is a circuit having the particular function to form a semiconductor integrated circuit to be verified (1). Moreover, a substrate current equation is generated from the process data used to form a circuit element (2). Operating life of the circuit element with the operating condition changed as a parameter (3). The range of operating conditions satisfying the desired operation life is previously obtained (4). Moreover, the actual operating condition when the semiconductor integrated circuit to be verified is obtained for each circuit element (5). Whether the operation life of the semiconductor integrated circuit to be verified satisfies the desired operation life is judged from both actual operating conditions and cell library.