Product Briefing Outline:

Problem: Capturing, identifying, analyzing, and resolving non-visual defects and yield-detracting systematic mechanisms are major challenges faced by the semiconductor industry. Traditional methods of defect cross sectioning -- where failures are identified on a product or an SRAM wafer that is then sent offsite for analysis -- has introduced a bottleneck in the sequence of yield improvement activities.

Solution: The new integrated flow accelerates yield ramps of deep sub-micron semiconductors by speeding root cause analysis of defects.  This gives customers better control over advanced processes along with improved yields, reduced time-to-market, and significantly reduced process development costs. In the integrated flow, PDF Solutions short-flow CV test chips are run through the factory, where electrical tests are performed to identify non-visual, subsurface failures. Once the CV analysis software identifies failures, it works in conjunction with the voltage contrast capabilities of the FEI DA 300HP to precisely localize the failures (both opens and shorts) on the wafer to within a fraction of a micron. Defects are then automatically cross-sectioned by the DA 300HP, resulting in a detailed sub-surface image of the relevant failure location and of the failing structure. The image enables engineers to more rapidly and accurately identify the cause of failures and validate potential process changes to determine those that reduce failure-rates to an acceptable level, according to the companies.

Applications: 3D characterization, analysis and modification for 300mm wafers.

Platform: FEI's DA 300HP is an automated in-fab 300 mm DualBeam (FIB/SEM) Utilizes Automatic Defect Redetection and Cross-Sectioning (ADR/ADX) along with Slice and View(TM), The DA 300HP is able to provide statistically significant root cause data.

Availability: December 2005.