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New Product: Advanced circuit edits handled by FEI’s V600CE FIB tool
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Product Briefing Outline: FEI has launched the V600CE
- a new member of its V600 focused ion beam (FIB) family of circuit
edit tools. The V600CE is claimed to enable faster semiconductor design
validation and performance optimization on today's 65nm-and-below
devices due to its advanced ion column technology, versatile gas
delivery system, and advanced end-pointing control.
Problem: Circuit editing is an alternative to
time-consuming mask and fabrication iterations, enabling faster
verification and prototyping of new designs. However, as semiconductor
geometries decrease to 45nm, and new materials are introduced,
successful FIB-based circuit edit becomes more challenging. The V600CE
is specifically designed to increase success rates, reducing
development costs and time-to-market.
Solution:
The V600CE improves etching planarity with its ‘NanoChemix' gas
delivery system. Innovative gas handling accommodates a wide range of
precursors for etching and deposition, and gas mixtures can be used to
improve electrical performance of insulator depositions. The unique
tri-nozzle delivery provides a symmetric, high-flux flow of agents. A
dedicated central nozzle delivers the precursor for metal depositions,
and dual opposing nozzles eliminate the shadowing that occurs in
trenches milled using single-nozzle systems. The new system also
includes a dynamic end-point solution that improves operator control
during critical applications, according to the company. Live imaging of
the active pattern is displayed on the user interface, and both stage
current readings and secondary electron intensity for each active
pattern are graphically displayed. The combination of these graphical
monitors with the live milling image provides reliable end-pointing,
resulting in higher edit success rates.
Applications: All types of circuit editing.
Platform: With its five-axis piezo stage, the V600 platform offers tilt and cross-sectioning capabilities on a wide range of samples.
Availability: June 2007 onwards.
