International Business Machines Corporation

Ying Hong

Terence Lawrence Kane

Michael P Tenney

Steven B Herschbein

Lawrence Fischer

A method and structure for the electrical characterization of a semiconductor device comprising, first, forming a hole having a diameter less than 0.15 &#x3bc;m, wherein the hole is created using focused ion beam (FIB) etching, and through at least a protective cap layer formed over the device. The FIB etching occurs in an electron mode using a beam current less than 35 &#x3c1;A with an aperture size less than 50 &#x3bc;m, and at an acceleration voltage of about 50 kV. Second, the surface of the hole is coated with a metal, preferably using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and preferably using a FIB device. Third, a metal pad is deposited, preferably by FIB CVD, over the hole. Fourth, the pad is probed to determine characteristics and/or detect defects of the electrical device. The present invention allows for electrical characterization without causing damage to the device or its features.

Method for electrically characterizing charge sensitive semiconductor devices

A method and structure for the electrical characterization of a semiconductor device comprising, first, forming a hole having a diameter less than 0.15 &mgr;m, wherein the hole is created using focused ion beam (FIB) etching, and through at least a protective cap layer formed over the device. The FIB etching occurs in an electron mode using a beam current less than 35 &rgr;A with an aperture size less than 50 &mgr;m, and at an acceleration voltage of about 50 kV. Second, the surface of the hole is coated with a metal, preferably using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and preferably using a FIB device. Third, a metal pad is deposited, preferably by FIB CVD, over the hole. Fourth, the pad is probed to determine characteristics and/or detect defects of the electrical device. The present invention allows for electrical characterization without causing damage to the device or its features.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Ying Hong