EBIC on TEM Lamellae for Improved Failure Localization and Root Cause Understanding

Abstract

Abstract Nanoprobing and subsequent electron beam induced current imaging technique are commonly used techniques for fault localization. The failing structure/device being electrically tested, the behavior of the electrical characteristics allows to give hypothesis of the origin of the fail, while single device testing enables to restrict the physical characterization to the failing structure - either using FIB/SEM cross-sectioning or for advanced technology nodes, directly with a TEM lamellae performed at pointed site location. In this paper, an experimental setup to perform electrical-like mappings on a TEM lamella is implemented, as an additional step to the existing nanoprobing-TEM flow. Such an apparatus offers the ability to observe indirectly dopants distribution in a TEM thin foil, allowing a direct complement from a TEM specimen. Moreover, when applied on thicker TEM-like samples, the technique ability to localize subtle defects prior their physical characterization is demonstrated.