Micron Technology Incorporated

Justin R Arrington

Gurtej S Sandhu

Mark J Williamson

Neal R Rueger

Shawn D Lyonsmith

Paul M Johnson

James E Green

Michael D Kenney

Nicholas E Paulin

Systems and methods of imaging and repairing defects on and below the surface of an integrated circuit (IC) are described. The method may be used in areas as small as one micron in diameter, and may remove the topmost material in the small spot, repeating with various layers, until a desired depth is obtained. An energetic beam, such as an electron beam, is directed at a selected surface location. The surface has an added layer of a solid, fluid or gaseous reactive material, such as a directed stream of a fluorocarbon, and the energetic beam disassociates the reactive material in the region of the beam into radicals that chemically attack the surface. After the defect location is exposed, the method uses the energetic beam to etch undesired materials, and deposit various appropriate materials to fill gaps, and restore the IC to an operational condition.

Electron induced chemical etching and deposition for local circuit repair

A method provides a mechanism to examine physical properties and/or diagnose problems at a selected location of an integrated circuit. Such a method can include creating a layer of a reactive material a selected distance above and in proximity with a surface of the integrated circuit so that the reactive material can be evaluated to form chemical radicals above and in proximity to the surface of the integrated circuit. A portion of the reactive material can be excited. A portion of the surface of the integrated circuit can be removed to a selected level to evaluate an exposed electrical structure of the integrated circuit. The exposed electrical structure can be evaluated to determine a potential problem in the integrated circuit.

Method for integrated circuit diagnosis

Methods may operate to position a sample within a processing chamber and operate on a surface of the sample. Further activities may include creating a layer of reactive material in proximity with the surface, and exciting a portion of the layer of reactive material in proximity with the surface to form chemical radicals. Additional activities may include removing a portion of the material in proximity to the excited portion of the surface to a predetermined level, and continuing the creating, exciting and removing actions until at least one of a plurality of stop criteria occurs.

Profiling solid state samples

Methods and apparatus may operate to position a sample within a processing chamber and operate on a surface of the sample. Further activities may include creating a layer of reactive material in proximity with the surface, and exciting a portion of the layer of reactive material in proximity with the surface to form chemical radicals. Additional activities may include removing a portion of the material in proximity to the excited portion of the surface to a predetermined level, and continuing the creating, exciting and removing actions until at least one of a plurality of stop criteria occurs.

A method that may be applied to imaging and identifying defects and contamination on the surface of an integrated circuit is described. An energetic beam, such as an electron beam, may be directed at a selected IC location having a layer of a solid, fluid, or gaseous reactive material formed over the surface. The energetic beam disassociates the reactive material in the region into chemical radicals that either chemically etch the surface preferentially, or deposit a thin layer of a conductive material over the local area around the energetic beam. The surface may be examined as various layers are selectively etched to decorate defects and/or as various layers are locally deposited in the area around the energetic beam. SEM imaging and other analytic methods may be used to identify the problem more easily.

Method of removing or deposting material on a surface including material selected to decorate a particle on the surface for imaging

A method of imaging and identifying materials, contamination, fabrication errors, and defects on and below the surface of an integrated circuit (IC) is described. The method may be used in areas smaller than one micron in diameter, and may remove IC layers, either selectively or non-selectively, until a desired depth is obtained. An energetic beam, such as an electron beam, is directed at a selected IC location. The IC has a layer of a solid, fluid or gaseous reactive material, such as a directed stream of a fluorocarbon, formed over the surface of the IC. The energetic beam disassociates the reactive material in or on the region into chemical radicals that chemically attack the surface. The surface may be examined as various layers are selectively removed in the controlled area spot etch, and SEM imaging may then be used to diagnose problems.

Electron induced chemical etching for device level diagnosis

A method of imaging and repairing defects on and below the surface of an integrated circuit (IC) is described. The method may be used in areas as small as one micron in diameter, and may remove the topmost material in the small spot, repeating with various layers, until a desired depth is obtained. An energetic beam, such as an electron beam, is directed at a selected surface location. The surface has an added layer of a solid, fluid or gaseous reactive material, such as a directed stream of a fluorocarbon, and the energetic beam disassociates the reactive material in the region of the beam into radicals that chemically attack the surface. After the defect location is exposed, the method uses the energetic beam to etch undesired materials, and deposit various appropriate materials to fill gaps, and restore the IC to an operational condition.

A method of imaging and identifying defects and contamination on the surface of an integrated circuit is described. The method may be used on areas smaller than one micron in diameter. An energetic beam, such as an electron beam, is directed at a selected IC location having a layer of a solid, fluid or gaseous reactive material formed over the surface. The energetic beam disassociates the reactive material in the region into chemical radicals that either chemically etch the surface preferentially, or deposit a thin layer of a conductive material over the local area around the energetic beam. The surface may be examined as various layers are selectively etched to decorate defects and/or as various layers are locally deposited in the area around the energetic beam. SEM imaging and other analytic methods may be used to identify the problem more easily.

Electron induced chemical etching/deposition for enhanced detection of surface defects

Methods and apparatus may operate to position a sample, including an imager lens surface, within a processing chamber. Further activities may include creating a layer of reactive material in proximity with the imager lens surface, and exciting a portion of the layer of reactive material in proximity with the imager lens surface to form chemical radicals. Additional activities may include removing a portion of the material in proximity to the excited portion of the imager lens surface to a predetermined level, and continuing the creating, exciting and removing actions until at least one of a plurality of stop criteria occurs.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting and locating a fault in an integrated circuit structure formed in one or more insulating layers deployed on a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus includes a probe tool capable of detecting a fault in the integrated circuit structure, a laser tool capable of forming an electrical connection between the integrated circuit structure and the semiconductor substrate, and a controller coupled to the probe tool and the laser tool, wherein the controller is capable of directing the laser tool to form the electrical connection between the integrated circuit structure and the semiconductor substrate in response to detecting the fault in the integrated circuit structure. The apparatus also includes a source for providing an electrical charge to the integrated circuit structure in response to detecting the fault in the integrated circuit structure and a detector for detecting an electrical charge accumulation in at least a portion of the integrated circuit structure.

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Justin R Arrington