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Application of FIB/SEM and TEM to Bit Failure Analyses in SRAM Arrays

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Wentao Qin ,
Alex Volinsky ,
Larry Rice ,
Lorraine Johnston  and
David Theodore
Wentao Qin
Affiliation:
Digital DNATM Labs, Motorola MD EL622, 2100 E Elliot Road, Tempe, AZ 85284
Alex Volinsky
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa FL 33620
Larry Rice
Affiliation:
Digital DNATM Labs, Motorola MD EL622, 2100 E Elliot Road, Tempe, AZ 85284
Lorraine Johnston
Affiliation:
Digital DNATM Labs, Motorola MD EL622, 2100 E Elliot Road, Tempe, AZ 85284
David Theodore
Affiliation:
Digital DNATM Labs, Motorola MD EL622, 2100 E Elliot Road, Tempe, AZ 85284
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Abstract

Many microelectronic chips contain embedded memory arrays. A single SRAM bit-cell contains several transistors. Failure of any of the transistors makes the entire bit-cell inoperable. Dual-beam Focused Ion Beam (FIB) combines the slicing capability of FIB with in-situ SEM imaging. The combination offers unparalleled precision in looking for root causes of failures in microelectronic devices. Once a failure site is located, an FIB lift-off method can be used to prepare a TEM sample containing the area of interest. Further structural, elemental information can then be acquired from the failure site. We report here analyses of single and multiple bit failures in SRAM arrays carried out using FIB/SEM, and in two cases TEM imaging and EDS/PEELS. Root causes of bit failures including remnant seed-layer metal between stacked vias have been identified.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 782: Symposium A – Micro- and Nanosystems , 2003 , A5.77
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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