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TECHNOLOGY OFFER FORMAT (FULL)
Name of Organisation: Nanyang Polytechnic
Headings
Examples
1. Title
[Limit to 30 words]
Differential C-AFM system for electrical characterization and fault isolation of
semiconductor devices
2. Abstract / Summary
[Limit to 100 words]
Conductive-Atomic Force Microscope (C-AFM) has become an indispensable
semiconductor failure analysis tool. Conventional C-AFM simultaneously maps the
topography and current distribution images of a sample using DC bias voltage. Each
failure location is typically scanned twice, at positive & negative DC bias, resulting in
long C-AFM cycle time. The DC C-AFM technique is not applicable to analysis of
silicon-on-insulator (SOI) devices, due to the buried oxide insulation layer on the
devices. To overcome these limitations, the differential C-AFM system, which uses
AC bias, reduces the cycle time by half and enables the failure analysis of SOI
devices, resulting in faster yield recovery and higher productivity.
3. Potential Applications
[Limit to 100 words]
This technology is applicable in the field of die-level failure analysis in semiconductor
industry. The technique is applicable to both semiconductor devices with bulk silicon
substrate and semiconductor devices with SOI substrate.
The technology is beneficial to the following industries:
4. Customer Benefits
[Limit to 100 words]

Manufacturers of AFM instruments

Semiconductor companies/laboratories which make use of C-AFM as one of
the analytical tools

Reduce C-AFM failure analysis cycle time by half

Enable C-AFM analysis on SOI devices

Detection of defects failure due to transient response

Improved failure analysis success rate
5. Technology Features
& Specifications
[Limit to 100 words]
This technology consists of a differential apparatus which can be easily adapted to
the conventional C-AFM.
6. Market Trends and
Opportunities
[Limit to 100 words]
Demand for C-AFM in semiconductor failure analysis is increasing due to shrinking
device size. High cost and long cycle time of the C-AFM promotes the need to
improve its efficiency & productivity. Failure analysis of SOI devices has always been
a challenging task, and hence capability to apply C-AFM analysis for SOI devices is
definitely beneficial to the industry.
v_1.0, updated on 8 Aug 12’
TECHNOLOGY OFFER FORMAT (FULL)
7. Graphic File
(I) Comparison of conventional DC C-AFM and differential C-AFM images on device failure due to
leaky P contact. With DC C-AFM, defect is only visible with positive bias.
(a) Topography Image
(b) DC C-AFM image with positive
bias—defect defected
(c) DC C-AFM image with
negative bias—no defect detected
(d) C-AFM I-V curve on good and bad
N contacts
(e) Differential C-AFM image #1
(f) Differential C-AFM image #2
which is obtained simultaneously
with (e)
(II) Differential C-AFM on SRAM area of SOI devices
(a) Topography Image
(b) Differential C-AFM image #1
(c) Differential C-AFM image #2
which is obtained simultaneously
with (b)
v_1.0, updated on 8 Aug 12’
TECHNOLOGY OFFER FORMAT (FULL)
v_1.0, updated on 8 Aug 12’