Failure Analysis on Inter Polysilicon Oxide Reliability Issues of 40nm Automotive NVM Device

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. K. Tan ◽  
R. Fransiscus ◽  
Y. L. Pan ◽  
H. H. W. Thoungh ◽  
S. L. Ting ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Dielectric Breakdown ◽  
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Fault Isolation ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Carrier Injection ◽  
Operating Life ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Root Cause

Abstract Reliability tests, such as Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB), High-Temperature Operating Life (HTOL), Hot Carrier Injection (HCI), etc., is required for the lifetime prediction of an integrated circuit (IC) product. Those reliability tests are more stringent and complex especially for automotive Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor (CMOS) devices, this because it involves human lives and safety. In foundries failure analysis (FA), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis often required in order to provide insights into the defect mechanisms and the root cause of the reliability tests. In this paper, application of high resolution Nano-probing Electron Beam Absorbance Current (EBAC), Nano-probing active passive voltage contrast (APVC), and TEM with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) to identify the failing root cause of Inter- Poly Oxide (IPO) TDDB failure on an automotive grade Non- Volatile Memory (NVM) device was investigated. We have successfully demonstrated that TEM analysis after Nanoprobing EBAC/APVC fault isolation is an effective technique to reveal the failure root cause of IPO breakdown after reliability stresses.

A New Failure Analysis Flow of Gate Oxide Integrity Failure in Wafer Fabrication

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Younan ◽  
Chu Susan ◽  
Gui Dong ◽  
Mo Zhiqiang ◽  
Xing Zhenxiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Gate Dielectric ◽  
Dielectric Breakdown ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Gate Oxide ◽  
Oxide Thickness ◽  
Fault Isolation ◽  
Wafer Fabrication ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Gate Oxide Integrity

Abstract As device feature size continues to shrink, the reducing gate oxide thickness puts more stringent requirements on gate dielectric quality in terms of defect density and contamination concentration. As a result, analyzing gate oxide integrity and dielectric breakdown failures during wafer fabrication becomes more difficult. Using a traditional FA flow and methods some defects were observed after electrical fault isolation using emission microscopic tools such as EMMI and TIVA. Even with some success with conventional FA the root cause was unclear. In this paper, we will propose an analysis flow for GOI failures to improve FA’s success rate. In this new proposed flow both a chemical method, Wright Etch, and SIMS analysis techniques are employed to identify root cause of the GOI failures after EFA fault isolation. In general, the shape of the defect might provide information as to the root cause of the GOI failure, whether related to PID or contamination. However, Wright Etch results are inadequate to answer the questions of whether the failure is caused by contamination or not. If there is a contaminate another technique is required to determine what the contaminant is and where it comes from. If the failure is confirmed to be due to contamination, SIMS is used to further determine the contamination source at the ppm-ppb level. In this paper, a real case of GOI failure will be discussed and presented. Using the new failure analysis flow, the root cause was identified to be iron contamination introduced from a worn out part made of stainless steel.

Enhancing Point Defect Isolation by Using Ionizing Radiation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas J. Martin ◽  
Matthew J. Gadlage ◽  
Wai-Yat Leung ◽  
Jeffrey L. Titus
Keyword(s):  
Ionizing Radiation ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Photon Emission ◽  
Fault Isolation ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Carrier Injection ◽  
Failure Site

Abstract An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for a high reliability application is found to have a missing sidewall spacer in a single transistor. Manufacturer burn-in and standard component electrical tests do not capture this defect. The defect manifests after exposure to ionizing radiation. Photon emission microscopy (PEM), laser voltage imaging (LVI), and laserassisted device alteration (LADA) are used to isolate the failure site. At the failure site a focused ion beam (FIB) cross section indicates that a doubly doped drain (DDD) (N+) is likely present where a lightly doped drain (LDD) is designated. This defect leads to a failure mode that is consistent with hot-carrier injection in complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. This paper presents the testability from a fault isolation aspect, shmoo plot characterization, and backside optical techniques to identify its spatial location. A discussion of the results includes why ionizing radiation allowed the defect’s capture and potential implications of using ionizing radiation as a viable failure analysis technique.

Utilizing Nanoprobing and Circuit Diagnostics to Identify Key Failure Mechanism of Otherwise Nonvisible Defects in 20 nm Logic Devices

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.K. Dawood ◽  
C. Chen ◽  
P.K. Tan ◽  
S. James ◽  
P.S. Limin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Contact Layer ◽  
Fault Isolation ◽  
Tem Analysis ◽  
Logic Devices ◽  
Technology Advancement ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Voltage Contrast ◽  
Almost All ◽  
20 Nm

Abstract In this work, we present two case studies on the utilization of advanced nanoprobing on 20nm logic devices at contact layer to identify the root cause of scan logic failures. In both cases, conventional failure analysis followed by inspection of passive voltage contrast (PVC) failed to identify any abnormality in the devices. Technology advancement makes identifying failure mechanisms increasingly more challenging using conventional methods of physical failure analysis (PFA). Almost all PFA cases for 20nm technology node devices and beyond require Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis. Before TEM analysis can be performed, fault isolation is required to correctly determine the precise failing location. Isolated transistor probing was performed on the suspected logic NMOS and PMOS transistors to identify the failing transistors for TEM analysis. In this paper, nanoprobing was used to isolate the failing transistor of a logic cell. Nanoprobing revealed anomalies between the drain and bulk junction which was found to be due to contact gouging of different severities.

Pseudo-Dynamic Fault Isolation Technique Using Backside Emission Microscopy – Case Study, Where All Other Methods Fail

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoav Weizman ◽  
Ezra Baruch ◽  
Michael Zimin
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Process Variations ◽  
Fault Isolation ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Isolation Technique ◽  
Root Cause ◽  
Emission Microscopy ◽  
Failure Location ◽  
Noisy Background

Abstract Emission microscopy is usually implemented for static operating conditions of the DUT. Under dynamic operation it is nearly impossible to identify a failure out of the noisy background. In this paper we describe a simple technique that could be used in cases where the temporal location of the failure was identified however the physical location is not known or partially known. The technique was originally introduced to investigate IDDq failures (1) in order to investigate timing related issues with automated tester equipment. Ishii et al (2) improved the technique and coupled an emission microscope to the tester for functional failure analysis of DRAMs and logic LSIs. Using consecutive step-by-step tester halting coupled to a sensitive emission microscope, one is able detect the failure while it occurs. We will describe a failure analysis case in which marginal design and process variations combined to create contention at certain logic states. Since the failure occurred arbitrarily, the use of the traditional LVP, that requires a stable failure, misled the analysts. Furthermore, even if we used advanced tools as PICA, which was actually designed to locate such failures, we believe that there would have been little chance of observing the failure since the failure appeared only below 1.3V where the PICA tool has diminished photon detection sensitivity. For this case the step-by-step halting technique helped to isolate the failure location after a short round of measurements. With the use of logic simulations, the root cause of the failure was clear once the failing gate was known.

scholarly journals Effects of Process Variations in a HCMOS IC using a Monte Carlo SPICE Simulation

2017 ◽  
pp. 11-16
Author(s):  
Widianto Widianto ◽  
Lailis Syafaah ◽  
Nurhadi Nurhadi
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Process Variations ◽  
Metal Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Spice Simulation ◽  
Simulation Results

In this paper, effects of process variations in a HCMOS (High-Speed Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) IC (Integrated Circuit) are examined using a Monte Carlo SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) simulation. The variations of the IC are L and VTO variations. An evaluation method is used to evaluate the effects of the variations by modeling it using a normal (Gaussian) distribution. The simulation results show that the IC may be detected as a defective IC caused by the variations based on large supply currents flow to it. 

scholarly journals Angular Light, Polarization and Stokes Parameters Information in a Hybrid Image Sensor with Division of Focal Plane

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 3391
Author(s):  
Francelino Freitas Carvalho ◽  
Carlos Augusto de Moraes Cruz ◽  
Greicy Costa Marques ◽  
Kayque Martins Cruz Damasceno
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Incident Angle ◽  
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Image Sensor ◽  
Light Polarization ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Stokes Parameters ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Depth Sensing ◽  
3D Image Reconstruction

Targeting 3D image reconstruction and depth sensing, a desirable feature for complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors is the ability to detect local light incident angle and the light polarization. In the last years, advances in the CMOS technologies have enabled dedicated circuits to determine these parameters in an image sensor. However, due to the great number of pixels required in a cluster to enable such functionality, implementing such features in regular CMOS imagers is still not viable. The current state-of-the-art solutions require eight pixels in a cluster to detect local light intensity, incident angle and polarization. The technique to detect local incident angle is widely exploited in the literature, and the authors have shown in previous works that it is possible to perform the job with a cluster of only four pixels. In this work, the authors explore three novelties: a mean to determine three of four Stokes parameters, the new paradigm in polarization cluster-pixel design, and the extended ability to detect both the local light angle and intensity. The features of the proposed pixel cluster are demonstrated through simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis (SPICE) of the regular Quadrature Pixel Cluster and Polarization Pixel Cluster models, the results of which are compliant with experimental results presented in the literature.

scholarly journals A 45 nm CMOS Avalanche Photodiode with 8.4-GHz Bandwidth

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Wenhao Zhi ◽  
Qingxiao Quan ◽  
Pingping Yu ◽  
Yanfeng Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Optical Communication ◽  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Avalanche Photodiode ◽  
Cmos Technology ◽  
Optical Signal ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Monolithically Integrated ◽  
Process Modification

Photodiode is one of the key components in optoelectronic technology, which is used to convert optical signal into electrical ones in modern communication systems. In this paper, an avalanche photodiode (APD) is designed and fulfilled, which is compatible with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) 45-nm standard complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology without any process modification. The APD based on 45 nm process is beneficial to realize a smaller and more complex monolithically integrated optoelectronic chip. The fabricated CMOS APD operates at 850 nm wavelength optical communication. Its bandwidth can be as high as 8.4 GHz with 0.56 A/W responsivity at reverse bias of 20.8 V. Its active area is designed to be 20 × 20 μm2. The Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) model of the APD is also proposed and verified. The key parameters are extracted based on its electrical, optical and frequency responses by parameter fitting. The device has wide potential application for optical communication systems.

scholarly journals Monolithic optoelectronic integrated broadband optical receiver with graphene photodetectors

Nanophotonics ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 1343-1352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuantong Cheng ◽  
Beiju Huang ◽  
Xurui Mao ◽  
Zanyun Zhang ◽  
Zan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Optical Signal ◽  
Optical Interconnect ◽  
Optical Receiver ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Experimental Realization ◽  
Operation Speed

AbstractOptical receivers with potentially high operation bandwidth and low cost have received considerable interest due to rapidly growing data traffic and potential Tb/s optical interconnect requirements. Experimental realization of 65 GHz optical signal detection and 262 GHz intrinsic operation speed reveals the significance role of graphene photodetectors (PDs) in optical interconnect domains. In this work, a novel complementary metal oxide semiconductor post-backend process has been developed for integrating graphene PDs onto silicon integrated circuit chips. A prototype monolithic optoelectronic integrated optical receiver has been successfully demonstrated for the first time. Moreover, this is a firstly reported broadband optical receiver benefiting from natural broadband light absorption features of graphene material. This work is a perfect exhibition of the concept of monolithic optoelectronic integration and will pave way to monolithically integrated graphene optoelectronic devices with silicon ICs for three-dimensional optoelectronic integrated circuit chips.

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