Defect Isolation Tools Accelerate the Failure Analysis Process

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Winterstrom ◽  
Kevin Meehan ◽  
Ralph Sanchez ◽  
Rich Ackerman
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Lead Time ◽  
Functional Test ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
Successful Completion ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Scan Test ◽  
Defect Isolation

Abstract This paper presents case studies that highlight the use of novel scan technologies and techniques to quickly test, diagnose, localize, and isolate the root cause of the defects, demonstrating that the solution meets the rapid and constant changing demands of industry. Cases include a device that has seemingly passed the functional test, but not the scan test with emission; a device with emission requiring resolution to its location; and a device having a timing issue that does not have emission. All case studies concluded with successful completion of finding the root cause of the defect. The diagnosis time for each of the three devices was within a period of one to three days per device. The confirmation stage of the defect is the longest lead time of the diagnostic process.

SEM-Based Nanoprobing on 40, 32 and 28 nm CMOS Devices Challenges for Semiconductor Failure Analysis

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Paul ◽  
Holger Herzog ◽  
Sören Jansen ◽  
Christian Hobert ◽  
Eckhard Langer
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Highly Efficient ◽  
Technology Nodes ◽  
Scanning Electron

Abstract This paper presents an effective device-level failure analysis (FA) method which uses a high-resolution low-kV Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in combination with an integrated state-of-the-art nanomanipulator to locate and characterize single defects in failing CMOS devices. The presented case studies utilize several FA-techniques in combination with SEM-based nanoprobing for nanometer node technologies and demonstrate how these methods are used to investigate the root cause of IC device failures. The methodology represents a highly-efficient physical failure analysis flow for 28nm and larger technology nodes.

A SAT-Based Pattern Generation Method for Diagnosis Multiple Scan Chain Faults

2011 ◽  
Vol 301-303 ◽  
pp. 989-994
Author(s):  
Fei Wang ◽  
Da Wang ◽  
Hai Gang Yang
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Design For Testability ◽  
Pattern Generation ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Multiple Scan ◽  
Scan Chain ◽  
Scan Chain Design

Scan chain design is a widely used design-for-testability (DFT) technique to improve test and diagnosis quality. However, failures on scan chain itself account for up to 30% of chip failures. To diagnose root causes of scan chain failures in a short period is vital to failure analysis process and yield improvements. As the conventional diagnosis process usually runs on the faulty free scan chain, scan chain faults may disable the diagnostic process, leaving large failure area to time-consuming failure analysis. In this paper, a SAT-based technique is proposed to generate patterns to diagnose scan chain faults. The proposed work can efficiently generate high quality diagnostic patterns to achieve high diagnosis resolution. Moreover, the computation overhead of proving equivalent faults is reduced. Experimental results on ISCAS’89 benchmark circuits show that the proposed method can reduce the number of diagnostic patterns while achieving high diagnosis resolution.

Semiconductor Wear Out at Nuclear Power Plants

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
James B. Riddle
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Light Output ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Corrective Actions ◽  
Control Circuits

Abstract This paper will examine semiconductor wear out at San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station (SONGS). The topics will include case studies, failure mechanisms, diagnostic techniques, failure analysis techniques and root cause corrective actions. Nuclear power plants are unique in that instrumentation and control circuits are continuously energized, are periodically tested, and have been in operation for greater than 25 years. Root cause evaluations at SONGS have identified numerous semiconductor failures due to wear out. Case studies include light output deterioration in opto-isolators, junction alloying failures of transistors and integrated circuits and parametric shifts in operational amplifiers. In most cases the devices do not fail catastrophically but degraded to the point of circuit level functional failure. Failure analysis techniques include circuit analysis, board level troubleshooting to identify the degraded components. Intermittent failures require power cycling, thermal cycling, and long term monitoring to identify the responsible components. Corrective actions for semiconductor wear out at SONGS include enhanced monitoring and proactive change out of identified part types.

Using a Unified Data Stream to Drive Failure Analysis for Product Improvement in the Personal Computer (PC) Environment

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirleen Horley ◽  
Joseph Rascon
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Personal Computer ◽  
Data Stream ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Development Teams ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Product Manufacturing ◽  
Value Add ◽  
Analysis System

Abstract The longer defective units are in the manufacturing pipeline before they are detected, the more expensive it becomes. Economic pressures drive the requirement to capture failures and perform root cause analysis further upstream in the product manufacturing cycle. This places greater emphasis on the ability to identify failures and perform value add analysis to drive product improvements as early as possible. This paper describes the method used to develop a reliable Unified Data Stream (UDS) that feeds the failure analysis process which in turn provides actionable information to product development teams in the Personal Computer (PC) environment. This manuscript describes the development and implementation of the Unified Data Stream designed to replace ambiguity and uncertainty with a defect trend and symptom pareto that drives action upstream. Focus will be on the output of UDS enabling the prioritization of product defects that feed the failure analysis system. Additionally, this paper will touch on the application of the UDS system for different types of pc components. The future of UDS is without bounds as it can also be applied to a wide range of products.

Challenges of System Level Failure Analysis of Electronics in the Automotive Industry

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bence Hevesi
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Root Cause Analysis ◽  
Fault Isolation ◽  
System Level ◽  
Cause Analysis ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Analysis Workflow

Abstract In this paper, different failure analysis (FA) workflows are showed which combines different FA approaches for fast and efficient fault isolation and root cause analysis in system level products. Two case studies will be presented to show the importance of a well-adjusted failure analysis workflow.

Case Study—Lock-in Thermography Application in Failure Analysis of a System Level DC-DC μModule Regulator

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikash Kumar ◽  
Devraj Karthikeyan
Keyword(s):  
Heat Source ◽  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Fault Localization ◽  
System Level ◽  
Thermal Failure ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Lock In

Abstract Fault localization is a common failure analysis process that is used to detect the anomaly on a faulty device. The Infrared Lock-In Thermography (LIT) is one of the localization techniques which can be used on the packaged chips for identifying the heat source which is a result of active damage. This paper extends the idea that the LIT analysis for fault localization is not only limited to the devices within the silicon die but it also highlights thermal failure indications of other components on the PCB (like capacitors, FETs etc on a system level DC-DC μmodule). The case studies presented demonstrate the effectiveness of using LIT in the Failure analysis process of a system level DC-DC μmodule regulator

MEMS Failure Analysis In Wafer Fabrication

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Peng Ng ◽  
Angela Teo ◽  
Ghim Boon Ang ◽  
Alfred Quah ◽  
N. Dayanand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Fault Isolation ◽  
Wafer Fabrication ◽  
Auger Analysis ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Defect Site ◽  
Defect Localization ◽  
Cmos Chip

Abstract This paper discussed on how the importance of failure analysis to identify the root cause and mechanism that resulted in the MEMS failure. The defect seen was either directly on the MEMS caps or the CMOS integrated chip in wafer fabrication. Two case studies were highlighted in the discussion to demonstrate how the FA procedures that the analysts had adopted in order to narrow down to the defect site successfully on MEMS cap as well as on CMOS chip on MEMS package units. Besides the use of electrical fault isolation tool/technique such as TIVA for defect localization, a new physical deprocessing approach based on the cutting method was performed on the MEMS package unit in order to separate the MEMS from the Si Cap. This approach would definitely help to prevent the introduction of particles and artifacts during the PFA that could mislead the FA analyst into wrong data interpretation. Other FA tool such as SEM inspection to observe the physical defect and Auger analysis to identify the elements in the defect during the course of analysis were also documented in this paper.

An Effective and Practical Analysis Technique for Open Defect Isolation at IDD Leakage Failure by Observing Transient Photo Emission

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nishikawa ◽  
N.I. Kato ◽  
J. Matsuzawa ◽  
K. Takagi ◽  
N. Miura
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Transient Behavior ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Defect Isolation ◽  
Electron Image ◽  
Open Defects ◽  
Leakage Failure ◽  
Current Emission

Abstract A new analysis method using conventional emission microscopy (EMS) was developed for localizing open defects in CMOS LSIs. EMS is widely used for failure analysis of IDD (power supply current) leakage failures. The root cause of a failure is deduced by considering the emission characteristics associated with the IDD leakage current, emission shape, emission energy spectrum, and exact location on an Si die. Our new technique focuses on the observation of transient photoemission immediately after VDD application. During IDD leakage failure analysis, unique transient photoemission characteristics are observed. Immediately after VDD application, strong photoemission is briefly observed at the drain edge of an n-FET, but disappears after stabilization of the IDD current. We assumed that temporary photoemission would not be generated in transient behavior unless some kind of open defects were located at a specific conductor connected to the gate electrode. This mechanism was verified by nonbiased charge-up contrast of a conventional secondary electron image (SEI) and cross-sectional SEM observation at the defective open location. The dynamic method of observing transient photoemission proposed here is a very effective and practical way for detecting the locations of open failures in CMOS LSIs. Some examples of open mode failure analysis are described, along with cross-sectional TEM observations.

Words for the “Whys”

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Failure Analysis ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Intellectual Curiosity ◽  
Basic Tool ◽  
Cause Analysis ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Tools And Techniques ◽  
Attention To Detail

Abstract In an era where the complexity and cost of Failure Analysis tools and techniques is rapidly expanding, it is easy sometimes to lose sight of the basic tool and technique required for successful root-cause analysis. That technique is intellectual curiosity and the tool is the human brain. This paper will describe a simple methodology to insure that this tool and technique are properly engaged either concomitant with or in the absence of state-of-the-art instrumentation and computation. Two simple case studies will be used to illustrate where the Failure Analysis process can easily go awry without proper attention to detail, and, conversely, from too much attention to detail.

A Logical Problem Solving Process for High Via Resistance Root Cause Analysis

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Li ◽  
P. Liu ◽  
J. Teong ◽  
M. Lee ◽  
H. L. Yap
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Failure Mechanism ◽  
High Resistance ◽  
Cause Analysis ◽  
Logical Problem ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Problem Solving Process

Abstract This paper presents a case study on via high resistance issue. A logical failure analysis process EDCA (Effect, Defect, Cause, and Action) is successfully applied to find out the failure mechanism, pinpoint the root cause and solve the problem. It sets up a very good example of how to do tough failure analysis in a controllable way.

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