edfas.org 37 ELECTRONIC DEVICE FAILURE ANALYSIS | VOLUME 27 NO. 1 ISTFA 2024 NANOPROBING AND SPM USER GROUP Chair/Co-Chairs: Greg Johnson, Nicholas Antoniou, and Scott P. Lockledge greg.johnson@zeiss.com, nicholas.antoniou@kla.com, slockledge@tiptek.com The ISTFA 2024 Nanoprobing and Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) User Group included two presentations, one on SPM and one on nanoprobing. Sanchari Sen, principal engineer and research scientist at Arizona State University, opened the meeting with an overview presentation of SPM and the impact of SPM on nanoelectronics. Sen shared a timeline of SPM developments and how they tie into the evolution of semiconductor process nodes. She described SPM developments in parallelization, automation, and co-integration including most of the pertinent modes of SPM such as CAFM, SCM, AFM IR, TERS, SSRM, and PFM. Dr. Sen highlighted SNVM as a topic in which ASU has collaborations. She then highlighted progress in SPM parallelization to scan multiple wafer locations, mask repair, automation, AI data processing, probe switching, alignment, verification, and setting can parameters. She also described other developments that include co-integration (i.e., EDS-AFM or SEM-FIB-AFM), 3D tomography, and cryogenic SPM for qubit analysis. A discussion followed on photo-thermal excitation, AFM for in-line uses (multiple, depends on application), limitations of tips in CAFM, and more. ISTFA 2024 OPTICAL FAULT ISOLATION (OFI), TEST, AND DIAGNOSTICS USER GROUP Chair/Co-Chairs: Dan Bockelman, Dan Bodoh, and Kevin Distelhurst dan.bockelman@intel.com, dan.bodoh@nxp.com, kevin.distelhurst@globalfoundries.com William Hubbard of NanoElectronic Imaging gave a second presentation on STEM EBIC. He noted that TEM imaging does not always capture electrical defects; however, single contact SEEBIC enables conductivity mapping of TEM samples that indicates which FINs in FinFETS have proper electrical contacts. He provided another example in which STEM + EBIC imaging of a defect was achieved before it becomes active. Following Hubbard’s presentation, he addressed several questions from the audience such as the maximum voltage on lamella (20 V holder might max at 40 V, working to go up to 1000 V), the resolution of this method (SEEBIC, atomic, EBIC, nm), ESD issues, how to make sample prep easier, and the application of this technique to look at doping differences in channels (not directly). In the open discussion, Hubbard suggested using TEOS in FIB to help isolate terminals for EBIC/SEEBIC. On the question of using EBIRCH on metal shorts, there has been success at lower-level metals with high kV SEM of copperto-copper short after PFIB delayering. The Optical Fault Isolation, Test, and Diagnosis User Group was held Wednesday morning, October 30. The first speaker was Jeff Chiles from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Chiles reviewed some of the theory supporting time resolved emission microscopy (TREM), and then discussed the vision of NIST to build an array of nanowire detectors (SNSPDs) to assist in optical fault isolation. The primary benefit of TREM is in capturing the time-based emission waveform at each camera pixel in parallel. In addition to the SNSPD hardware, new algorithms will be developed to process and resolve the location of individual emitting transistors. Chiles answered questions from the audience about the new detector technology. A concern was discussed about the volume of data to process – X, Y, and highresolution time. High-speed readout will be necessary, and the data will need to be compressed locally as it is generated. A high-speed camera will be developed by next year. Other commenters brought up the Emiscope, last used practically around the 45 nm node. Lower supply voltages create less photons at a longer wavelength. The team at NIST is working with industry to experiment with chips built with modern process technology to understand the feasibility and determine whether the new SNSPD detector will overcome the limitations of the previously used avalanche photo diode.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTYyMzk3NQ==