Defect isolation using electron-beam probing RIE in multilevel high-density ASICs

Sharad Prasad; Grant Lindberg; Hong Zhang

doi:10.1117/12.186770

14 September 1994 Defect isolation using electron-beam probing RIE in multilevel high-density ASICs

Sharad Prasad, Grant Lindberg, Hong Zhang

Proceedings Volume 2334, Microelectronics Manufacturability, Yield, and Reliability; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.186770
Event: Microelectronic Manufacturing, 1994, Austin, TX, United States

Abstract

Electron beam probing is a powerful technique for analyzing failures in integrated circuits. This technique has been modified and different automation techniques such as IDA, FACE and analysis techniques have been added to analyze complex circuits. However, with increasingly small geometries and multi levels of metallization none of these techniques can work satisfactorily unless the e-beam can manage to obtain signals from the bottom metal layers. In this paper we present a successful method which has been used with a 4 metal layer process to probe up to metal 1. As geometries shrink it is absolutely necessary that after removal of intermediate dielectric no residue remains, otherwise there could be intermetallic shorts. RIE has been used successfully for failure analysis. In this paper we present a method of selectively removing inter-metal dielectric using RIE and doing e-beam probing. RIE is so optimized that there is no `RIE grass' and 3/4 metal layer ASICs with 0.5 micrometers minimum geometry function electrically. Using special fixtures and optimizing the gas flow, gas pressure and power, the removal of dielectric was so optimized that: (1) The amount of intermediate dielectric removed can be varied just by time. This is necessary to stay compatible with different technologies using different metal layers and dielectric thickness. (2) There is no `RIE grass.' (3) Devices function electrically even after removal of intermediate oxide and metal 1 is exposed. After the dielectric is removed the parts are exercised electrically using an ATE for instance ASIX or LT and measurements are taken using the e- beam tester IDS5000+. This paper discusses in detail the RIE process, fixtures, and the usage of the e-beam tester on multilayer 0.5 micrometers process.

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Sharad Prasad, Grant Lindberg, and Hong Zhang "Defect isolation using electron-beam probing RIE in multilevel high-density ASICs", Proc. SPIE 2334, Microelectronics Manufacturability, Yield, and Reliability, (14 September 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.186770

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KEYWORDS

Metals

Reactive ion etching

Dielectrics

Etching

Electron beams

Failure analysis

Anisotropic etching

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