SEM-Based Nanoprobing on In-Situ Delayered Advanced 10 nm Technology Node IC

Abstract

Following the trend of continuous structure downsizing, it is becoming increasingly challenging to perform standard failure analyses. For instance, nanoprobing on sub-14 nm technology nodes requires well-prepared samples, ultra-sharp tips and especially thermal and mechanical stability. Moreover, standard mechanical polishing starts to fail on lower metal layers due to their very small thickness. In this paper we propose a method of site-specific gas-assisted homogeneous delayering followed by in-situ nanoprobing measurement in a single FIB/SEM system.