Study on the high via resistance by TEM failure analysis

Author

Liu, B. ; Er, Eddie ; Zhao, Si Ping ; Chen, Ci ; Boon, Ang Ghim ; Takahashi, Koichi ; Subbu, Chivukula ; Lam, James

Author_Institution

Test & Failure Anal. Dept. (PTF Singapore), GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte Ltd., Singapore, Singapore

fYear

2014

fDate

June 30 2014-July 4 2014

Firstpage

58

Lastpage

61

Abstract

In this work we reported a case study on ET (electrical testing) failure with via high resistance issue. In order to understand the failure mechanism and root cause behind the high via resistance, detailed TEM(transmission electron microscope) analysis was performed by using various TEM FA (failure analysis)techniques, including EDX, EELS analysis. It was found out that high via resistance arose from the process drift-induced Al extrusion and poor barrier metal coverage at via bottom. The correlation between the physical signatures identified by TEM FA and the associated processes were discussed for the root cause understanding.

Keywords

X-ray chemical analysis; electron energy loss spectra; failure analysis; integrated circuit reliability; integrated circuit testing; transmission electron microscopy; vias; EDX analysis; EELS analysis; TEM; barrier metal coverage; electrical testing; failure analysis; failure mechanism; high via resistance; process drift induced aluminum extrusion; transmission electron microscopy analysis; Cooling; Etching; Failure analysis; Plasmas; Resistance; Tin; EELS mapping; EFTEM; ET failure; TEM; failure analysis; punch-through via process;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits (IPFA), 2014 IEEE 21st International Symposium on the

Conference_Location

Marina Bay Sands

ISSN

1946-1542

Print_ISBN

978-1-4799-3931-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IPFA.2014.6898200

Filename

6898200