Enhancing reliability of CMOS devices using electrical techniques and electron spin resonance spectroscopy

Author

Evans, Howard L. ; Lowry, Robert K. ; Schultz, William L. ; Morthorst, Thomas J. ; Lenahan, Pat M. ; Conley, John F.

Author_Institution

Harris Semicond. Reliability Eng., Melbourne, FL, USA

fYear

1994

fDate

11-14 April 1994

Firstpage

410

Lastpage

419

Abstract

Excessive failures due to threshold voltage shifts impacted the reliability of a CMOS analog comparator circuit. These shifts were attributed to a process-induced neutral hole trap. Electrical techniques were used to verify the model and determine the root cause. This work showed the need for a low cost technique for early defect detection which could be utilized during process development or as a process monitor. The method of electron spin resonance (ESR) was found to confirm the electrical results of this study. ESR is being developed as a diagnostic tool for improving product reliability.<>

Keywords

CMOS integrated circuits; circuit reliability; failure analysis; integrated circuit testing; life testing; paramagnetic resonance; CMOS devices; ESR spectroscopy; analog comparator circuit; defect detection; diagnostic tool; electrical techniques; electron spin resonance; low cost technique; model; process monitor; process-induced neutral hole trap; reliability; threshold voltage shifts; Bonding; Breakdown voltage; CMOS analog integrated circuits; Electron traps; Microscopy; Paramagnetic resonance; Semiconductor device reliability; Spectroscopy; Telephony; Threshold voltage;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Reliability Physics Symposium, 1994. 32nd Annual Proceedings., IEEE International

Conference_Location

San Jose, CA, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1357-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/RELPHY.1994.307805

Filename

307805