Advances in Photosensitive Polymer Based Damascene RDL Processes: Toward Submicrometer Pitches With More Metal Layers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Chery ◽  
John Slabbekoorn ◽  
Nelson Pinho ◽  
Andy Miller ◽  
Eric Beyne
Keyword(s):  
Photosensitive Polymer ◽  
Metal Layers

STM of freeze-fracture replicas: Problems and promises

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 68-69
Author(s):  
J. T. Woodward ◽  
J. A. N. Zasadzinski
Keyword(s):  
Scanning Tunneling Microscope ◽  
Organic Materials ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Atomic Resolution ◽  
Scanning Tunneling ◽  
Tunneling Microscope ◽  
Molecular Scale ◽  
Organic Surfaces ◽  
Metal Layers ◽  
Conductive Surfaces

The Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) offers exciting new ways of imaging surfaces of biological or organic materials with resolution to the sub-molecular scale. Rigid, conductive surfaces can readily be imaged with the STM with atomic resolution. Unfortunately, organic surfaces are neither sufficiently conductive or rigid enough to be examined directly with the STM. At present, nonconductive surfaces can be examined in two ways: 1) Using the AFM, which measures the deflection of a weak spring as it is dragged across the surface, or 2) coating or replicating non-conductive surfaces with metal layers so as to make them conductive, then imaging with the STM. However, we have found that the conventional freeze-fracture technique, while extremely useful for imaging bulk organic materials with STM, must be modified considerably for optimal use in the STM.

Automatic Determination of Optimal FIB Operations for Improved Circuit Probing and Fast Reconfiguration

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain Desplats ◽  
Timothee Dargnies ◽  
Jean-Christophe Courrege ◽  
Philippe Perdu ◽  
Jean-Louis Noullet
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Semiconductor Devices ◽  
Front Side ◽  
Automatic Determination ◽  
Metal Line ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Metal Layers

Abstract Focused Ion Beam (FIB) tools are widely used for Integrated Circuit (IC) debug and repair. With the increasing density of recent semiconductor devices, FIB operations are increasingly challenged, requiring access through 4 or more metal layers to reach a metal line of interest. In some cases, accessibility from the front side, through these metal layers, is so limited that backside FIB operations appear to be the most appropriate approach. The questions to be resolved before starting frontside or backside FIB operations on a device are: 1. Is it do-able, are the metal lines accessible? 2. What is the optimal positioning (e.g. accessing a metal 2 line is much faster and easier than digging down to a metal 6 line)? (for the backside) 3. What risk, time and cost are involved in FIB operations? In this paper, we will present a new approach, which allows the FIB user or designer to calculate the optimal FIB operation for debug and IC repair. It automatically selects the fastest and easiest milling and deposition FIB operations.

Application of Fast Laser Deprocessing Techniques in Physical Failure Analysis on SRAM Memory of Advance Technology

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.H. Yap ◽  
P.K. Tan ◽  
G.R. Low ◽  
M.K. Dawood ◽  
H. Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Tetraethyl Orthosilicate ◽  
Ic Design ◽  
Advance Technology ◽  
Defect Identification ◽  
Technology Scaling ◽  
And Function ◽  
Metal Layers

Abstract With technology scaling of semiconductor devices and further growth of the integrated circuit (IC) design and function complexity, it is necessary to increase the number of transistors in IC’s chip, layer stacks, and process steps. The last few metal layers of Back End Of Line (BEOL) are usually very thick metal lines (>4μm thickness) and protected with hard Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) material that is formed from (TetraEthyl OrthoSilicate) TEOS as Inter-Metal Dielectric (IMD). In order to perform physical failure analysis (PFA) on the logic or memory, the top thick metal layers must be removed. It is time-consuming to deprocess those thick metal and IMD layers using conventional PFA workflows. In this paper, the Fast Laser Deprocessing Technique (FLDT) is proposed to remove the BEOL thick and stubborn metal layers for memory PFA. The proposed FLDT is a cost-effective and quick way to deprocess a sample for defect identification in PFA.

SRAM Failure Analysis Strategy

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Egger ◽  
C. Burmer
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystal ◽  
Failure Analysis ◽  
The Other ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Analysis Strategy ◽  
Emission Microscopy ◽  
Metal Layers ◽  
Failure Localization

Abstract The area of embedded SRAMs in advanced logic ICs is increasing more and more. On the other hand smaller structure sizes and an increasing number of metal layers make conventional failure localization by using emission microscopy or liquid crystal inefficient. In this paper a SRAM failure analysis strategy will be presented independent on layout and technology.

Effects of Backside Circuit Edit on Transistor Characteristics

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.K. Jain ◽  
T. Malik ◽  
T.R. Lundquist ◽  
Q.S. Wang ◽  
R. Schlangen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Flip Chip ◽  
Intrinsic Parameters ◽  
Chip Type ◽  
Device Structures ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Silicon Device ◽  
Metal Layers

Abstract Backside circuit edit techniques on integrated circuits (ICs) are becoming common due to increase number of metal layers and flip chip type packaging. However, a thorough study of the effects of these modifications has not been published. This in spite of the fact that the IC engineers have sometimes wondered about the effects of backside circuit edit on IC behavior. The IC industry was well aware that modifications can lead to an alteration of the intrinsic behavior of a circuit after a FIB edit [1]. However, because alterations can be controlled [2], they have not stopped the IC industry from using the FIB to successfully reconfigure ICs to produce working “silicon” to prove design and mask changes. Reliability of silicon device structures, transistors and diodes, are investigated by monitoring intrinsic parameters before and after various steps of modification.

Failure Analysis of Short Faults on Advanced Wire-Bond and Flip-Chip Packages with Scanning SQUID Microscopy

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve K. Hsiung ◽  
Kevan V. Tan ◽  
Andrew J. Komrowski ◽  
Daniel J. D. Sullivan ◽  
Jan Gaudestad
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Fields ◽  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Quantum Interference ◽  
Flip Chip ◽  
Infrared Emission ◽  
Fault Analysis ◽  
Wire Bond ◽  
Overlay Design ◽  
Scanning Squid ◽  
Metal Layers

Abstract Scanning SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) Microscopy, known as SSM, is a non-destructive technique that detects magnetic fields in Integrated Circuits (IC). The magnetic field, when converted to current density via Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), is particularly useful to detect shorts and high resistance (HR) defects. A short between two wires or layers will cause the current to diverge from the path the designer intended. An analyst can see where the current is not matching the design, thereby easily localizing the fault. Many defects occur between or under metal layers that make it impossible using visible light or infrared emission detecting equipment to locate the defect. SSM is the only tool that can detect signals from defects under metal layers, since magnetic fields are not affected by them. New analysis software makes it possible for the analyst to overlay design layouts, such as CAD Knights, directly onto the current paths found by the SSM. In this paper, we present four case studies where SSM successfully localized short faults in advanced wire-bond and flip-chip packages after other fault analysis methods failed to locate the defects.

scholarly journals A Study on the Variable Inductor Design by Switching the Main Paths and the Coupling Coils

Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 1856
Author(s):  
Yen-Chung Chiang ◽  
Juo-Chen Chen ◽  
Yu-Hsin Chang
Keyword(s):  
Design Method ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cmos Process ◽  
Mos Transistors ◽  
Quality Factors ◽  
Process Technology ◽  
Variation Versus ◽  
Variable Inductor ◽  
Metal Layers ◽  
Coupled Coils

In a radio frequency (RF) system, it is possible to use variable inductors for providing tunable or selective frequency range. Variable inductors can be implemented by the microelectromechanical system (MEMS) process or by using transistors as switches to change the routing of coils or coupling quantities. In this paper, we investigated the design method of a variable inductor by using MOS transistors to switch the main coil paths and the secondary coupled coils. We observed the effects of different metal layers, turn numbers, and layout arrangements for secondary-coupled coils and compared their characteristics on the inductances and quality factors. We implemented two chips in the 0.18 m CMOS process technology for each kind of arrangement for verification. One inductor can achieve inductance values from about 300 pH to 550 pH, and the other is between 300 pH and 575 pH, corresponding to 59.3% and 62.5%, respectively, inductance variation range at 4 GHz frequency. Additionally, their fine step sizes of the switched inductances are from 0.5% to 6% for one design, and 1% to 12.5% for the other. We found that both designs achieved a large inductance tuning range and moderate inductance step sizes with a slight difference behavior on the inductance variation versus frequency.

scholarly journals Sputter Deposited Metal Layers Embedded in Composites—From Fundamentals to Applications

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 190
Author(s):  
Florian Cougnon ◽  
Mathias Kersemans ◽  
Wim Van Paepegem ◽  
Diederik Depla
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Heat Flux ◽  
Sputter Deposition ◽  
Image Correlation ◽  
Fiber Reinforced Polymers ◽  
Thermal Probe ◽  
Reinforced Polymers ◽  
Magnetron Sputter Deposition ◽  
Sputter Deposited ◽  
Metal Layers

Due to the low heat flux towards the substrate, magnetron sputter deposition offers the possibility to deposit thin films on heat sensitive materials such as fiber-reinforced polymers, also known as composite materials. Passive thermal probe measurements during the sputter deposition of metal layers show indeed that the temperature increase remains well below 25 °C for film thicknesses up to 600 nm. The latter thickness threshold is based on the influence of embedded metal films on the adhesion of the composite plies. Films thicker than this threshold deteriorate the mechanical integrity of the composite. The introduction of the uncured composite in the vacuum chamber strongly affects the base pressure by outgassing of impurities from the composite. The impurities affect the film properties as illustrated by their impact on the Seebeck coefficient of sputter deposited thermocouples. The restrictions to embed thin films in composites, as illustrated by both the heat flux measurements, and the study on the influence of impurities, are however not insurmountable. The possibility to use embedded thin films will be briefly demonstrated in different applications such as digital volume image correlation, thermocouples, and de-icing.

Ion-Assisted Surface Processing of Electronic Materials

MRS Bulletin ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 52-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.T. Picraux ◽  
E. Chason ◽  
T.M. Mayer
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Etching ◽  
Electronic Materials ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Surface Processing ◽  
Wave Guides ◽  
Side Walls ◽  
Wet Chemical ◽  
Low Energy Ions ◽  
Metal Layers ◽  
Defect Densities

Why are low-energy ions relevant to the surface processing of electronic materials? The answer lies in the overriding trend of miniaturization in microelectronics. The achievement of these feats in ultrasmall architecture has required surface processing capabilities that allow layer addition and removal with incredible precision. The resulting benefits of greater capacity and speed at a plummeting cost per function are near legendary.The ability of low-energy ions to enhance the precision of surface etching, cleaning, and deposition/growth processes (Figure 1) provides one basis for the interest in ion-assisted processes. Low-energy ions are used, for example, to enhance the sharpness of side walls in plasma etching and to improve step coverage by metal layers in sputter deposition. Emerging optoelectronic applications such as forming ridges for wave-guides and ultrasmooth vertical surfaces for lasers further extend piesent requirements, and low-energy ions again provide one tool to help in this area of ultraprecise materials control. Trends associated with the decreased feature size include the movement from wet chemical processing to dry processing, the continuing need for reductions in defect densities, and the drive toward reduced temperatures and times in process steps.How do the above trends focus interest on studies of low-energy ion-assisted processes? In current applications, these trends are driving the need for increased atomic-level understanding of the ion-enhancement mechanisms, for example, in reactive ion etching to minimize defect production and enhance surface chemical reactions.

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