National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC

John Mudrick

Jeffry Joseph Sniegowski

Randy J Shul

Karl Douglas Greth

Gregory Paul Salazar

Craig Y Nakakura

Michael J Rye

Caitlin Rochford Friedman

The present invention relates to methods of delayering a semiconductor integrated circuit die or wafer. In at least one aspect, the method includes exposing a die or wafer to plasma of an etching gas and detecting exposure of one or more metal layers within the die. In one aspect of the invention, the plasma of the etching gas is non-selective and removes all materials in a layer at about the same rate. In another aspect of the invention, two different plasmas of corresponding etching gases are employed with each plasma of the etching gas being selective, thus necessitating the sequential use of both plasmas of corresponding etching gases to remove all materials in a layer.

Plasma-based method for delayering of circuits

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Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

John Mudrick