Fault Isolation of Single-Fin Shorts Using Electron Beam Induced Current

Summary:

Over the last decade, electron beam induced resistance change (EBIRCH) has been the primary nanoProbing method for isolating shorts in circuits and device structures. In this study, we discuss several disadvantages of using EBIRCH for fault isolation in logic devices. EBIRCH is dependent on material composition and thermal resistivity, and requires two probes and constant biasing of the DUT, which may lead to sample blowout. In contrast, electron beam induced current (EBIC) is shown to offer higher spatial resolution in device structures for more precise fault isolation. Due to its reliance on electron-hole pair generation in a pn junction, EBIC is versatile, more easily controlled by the e-beam parameters and often only requires a single probe without biasing the device. The method was reproduced on several different samples with improved FA success rate and quality, and reduced turnaround time compared to EBIRCH.