Technique for monitoring dynamic processes in metal lines of microstructures

US8118932B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Joerg Buschbeck · Dresden, DE
• Eckhard Langer · Radebeul, DE
• Marco Grafe · Dresden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 24, 2006
• Grant date: Feb 21, 2012
• Expiry date: Nov 2, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T117/1008
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

By locally heating specific scan positions within a region of interest and automatically obtaining respective measurement data in a time-resolved and spatially-resolved fashion, dynamic processes within a metallization layer of semiconductor devices may be efficiently monitored and/or modified. For instance, OBIRCH and SEI techniques may be used in combination with the automated data recording and manipulation, thereby providing an efficient means for in situ failure analysis, defect identification, for any dynamic degradation processes in interconnects and interlayer dielectrics.