skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Ion-beam apparatus and method for analyzing and controlling integrated circuits

Patent ·
OSTI ID:872014
 [1];  [2]
  1. Albuquerque, NM
  2. Placitas, NM
+ Show Author Affiliations

An ion-beam apparatus and method for analyzing and controlling integrated circuits. The ion-beam apparatus comprises a stage for holding one or more integrated circuits (ICs); a source means for producing a focused ion beam; and a beam-directing means for directing the focused ion beam to irradiate a predetermined portion of the IC for sufficient time to provide an ion-beam-generated electrical input signal to a predetermined element of the IC. The apparatus and method have applications to failure analysis and developmental analysis of ICs and permit an alteration, control, or programming of logic states or device parameters within the IC either separate from or in combination with applied electrical stimulus to the IC for analysis thereof. Preferred embodiments of the present invention including a secondary particle detector and an electron floodgun further permit imaging of the IC by secondary ions or electrons, and allow at least a partial removal or erasure of the ion-beam-generated electrical input signal.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Number(s):
US 5844416
OSTI ID:
872014
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (8)

Application of FIB for In-Process Mapping of Failed Capacitors of High-Mega-Bit DRAM conference January 1990
IC failure analysis: techniques and tools for quality reliability improvement journal May 1993
Novel failure analysis techniques using photon probing with a scanning optical microscope conference January 1994
Applications of focused ion beams in microelectronics production, design and development journal February 1995
Charge Induced Instability in 709 Operational Amplifiers conference April 1972
Focused electron and ion beam repair strategies for wafer-scale interconnections in thin film packaging journal December 1988
Laser scanning of MOS IC's reveals internal logic states nondestructively journal January 1976
Review on kinetic ion-electron emission from solid metallic targets journal March 1982

Similar Records

Related Subjects

ion-beam
apparatus
method
analyzing
controlling
integrated
circuits
comprises
stage
holding
ics
source
means
producing
focused
beam
beam-directing
directing
irradiate
predetermined
portion
sufficient
time
provide
ion-beam-generated
electrical
input
signal
element
applications
failure
analysis
developmental
permit
alteration
control
programming
logic
device
parameters
separate
combination
applied
stimulus
preferred
embodiments
including
secondary
particle
detector
electron
floodgun
imaging
electrons
allow
partial
removal
erasure
beam apparatus
predetermined portion
electrical input
source means
preferred embodiments
apparatus comprises
preferred embodiment
integrated circuits
input signal
integrated circuit
sufficient time
particle detector
failure analysis
apparatus comprise
directing means
applied electric
ion-beam apparatus
secondary particle
controlling integrated
/324/