DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Thermally-induced voltage alteration for integrated circuit analysis

Abstract

A thermally-induced voltage alteration (TIVA) apparatus and method are disclosed for analyzing an integrated circuit (IC) either from a device side of the IC or through the IC substrate to locate any open-circuit or short-circuit defects therein. The TIVA apparatus uses constant-current biasing of the IC while scanning a focused laser beam over electrical conductors (i.e. a patterned metallization) in the IC to produce localized heating of the conductors. This localized heating produces a thermoelectric potential due to the Seebeck effect in any conductors with open-circuit defects and a resistance change in any conductors with short-circuit defects, both of which alter the power demand by the IC and thereby change the voltage of a source or power supply providing the constant-current biasing. By measuring the change in the supply voltage and the position of the focused and scanned laser beam over time, any open-circuit or short-circuit defects in the IC can be located and imaged. The TIVA apparatus can be formed in part from a scanning optical microscope, and has applications for qualification testing or failure analysis of ICs.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. (Albuquerque, NM)
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
873048
Patent Number(s):
6078183
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01R - MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
thermally-induced; voltage; alteration; integrated; circuit; analysis; tiva; apparatus; method; disclosed; analyzing; device; substrate; locate; open-circuit; short-circuit; defects; therein; constant-current; biasing; scanning; focused; laser; beam; electrical; conductors; patterned; metallization; produce; localized; heating; produces; thermoelectric; potential; due; seebeck; effect; resistance; change; alter; power; demand; source; supply; providing; measuring; position; scanned; time; located; imaged; formed; optical; microscope; applications; qualification; testing; failure; ics; supply voltage; voltage alteration; optical microscope; localized heating; focused laser; electrical conductors; laser beam; power supply; integrated circuit; electric potential; electrical conductor; failure analysis; open-circuit defects; resistance change; circuit analysis; defects therein; supply providing; thermally-induced voltage; patterned metal; power demand; /324/

Citation Formats

Cole, Jr., Edward I. Thermally-induced voltage alteration for integrated circuit analysis. United States: N. p., 2000. Web.
Cole, Jr., Edward I. Thermally-induced voltage alteration for integrated circuit analysis. United States.
Cole, Jr., Edward I. Sat . "Thermally-induced voltage alteration for integrated circuit analysis". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873048.
@article{osti_873048,
title = {Thermally-induced voltage alteration for integrated circuit analysis},
author = {Cole, Jr., Edward I.},
abstractNote = {A thermally-induced voltage alteration (TIVA) apparatus and method are disclosed for analyzing an integrated circuit (IC) either from a device side of the IC or through the IC substrate to locate any open-circuit or short-circuit defects therein. The TIVA apparatus uses constant-current biasing of the IC while scanning a focused laser beam over electrical conductors (i.e. a patterned metallization) in the IC to produce localized heating of the conductors. This localized heating produces a thermoelectric potential due to the Seebeck effect in any conductors with open-circuit defects and a resistance change in any conductors with short-circuit defects, both of which alter the power demand by the IC and thereby change the voltage of a source or power supply providing the constant-current biasing. By measuring the change in the supply voltage and the position of the focused and scanned laser beam over time, any open-circuit or short-circuit defects in the IC can be located and imaged. The TIVA apparatus can be formed in part from a scanning optical microscope, and has applications for qualification testing or failure analysis of ICs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2000},
month = {1}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Thermal and Optical Enhancements to Liquid Crystal Hot Spot Detection Methods
conference, October 1997


New non-bias optical beam induced current (NB-OBIC) technique for evaluation of Al interconnects
conference, January 1995


Various Contrasts Identifiable From the Backside of a Chip by 1.3μm Laser Beam Scanning and Current Change Imaging
conference, November 1996


New capabilities of OBIRCH method for fault localization and defect detection
conference, January 1997