Appeal No. 1997-1696
Application 08/180,770
Independent claims 20 and 25 are reproduced as follows:
20. A method of testing an input circuit, for a semiconductor device, that detects a level of an
input signal V by comparing the input signal V with a reference signal V , said input circuitin in ref
comprising a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, a first region of a second conductivity
type opposite the first conductivity type in a surface portion of said semiconductor material, a second
region of the first conductivity type in said first region, and a third region of the first conductivity type in
said first region, said method comprising the steps of:
applying the input signal V to said second region, wherein V is negative;in in
applying the reference signal V to said third region; and
ref
applying to said first region a potential which is lower and has a greater magnitude than the
potential of the input signal V thereby preventing an injection of carriers generated at a junction
in
between said first and second regions into said third region.
25. A method of testing an input circuit, for a semiconductor device, that detects a level of an
input signal V by comparing the input signal V with a reference signal V , said input circuitin in ref
comprising a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, first and second spaced regions of a
second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type in a surface portion of said semiconductor
material, a first input field effect transistor formed in said first region and including a first current terminal
region of the first conductivity type, a second input field effect transistor formed in said second region
and including a first current terminal region of the first conductivity type, a third region of the first
conductivity type between said first and second spaced regions, said method comprising the steps of:
applying a first power source potential to said first region;
applying the first power source potential to said second region;
applying the reference signal V to the first current terminal of said first input field effect
ref
transistor;
applying the input signal V to the first current terminal of said second input field effect
in
transistor, wherein V is negative; and
in
3
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