Low electron beam energy CIVA analysis of passivated ICs
Low Energy Charge-Induced Voltage Alteration (LECIVA) is a new scanning electron microscopy technique developed to localize open conductors in passivated ICs. LECIVA takes advantage of recent experimental work showing that the dielectric surface equilibrium voltage has an electron flux density dependence at low electron beam energies ({le}1.0 keV). The equilibrium voltage changes from positive to negative as the electron flux density is increased. Like Charge-Induced Voltage Alteration (CIVA), LECIVA images are produced from the voltage fluctuations of a constant current power supply as an electron beam is scanned over the IC surface. LECIVA image contrast is generated only by the electrically open part of a conductor, yielding, the same high selectivity demonstrated by CIVA. Because LECIVA is performed at low beam energies, radiation damage by the primary electrons and x-rays to MOS structures is far less than that caused by CIVA. LECIVA may also be performed on commercial electron beam test systems that do not have high primary electron beam energy capabilities. The physics of LECIVA signal generation are described. LECIVA imaging examples illustrate its utility on both a standard scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a commercial electron beam test system.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 10176517
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-94-1167C; CONF-941154-1; ON: DE94017421; BR: GB0103012
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International symposium for testing and failure analysis,Los Angeles, CA (United States),14-18 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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