Space Charge Limited Current Measurements on Conjugated Polymer Films using Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy

Abstract Atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods have provided a wealth of knowledge into the topographic, electrical, mechanical, magnetic, and electrochemical properties of surfaces and materials at the micro- and nanoscale over the last several decades. More specifically, the application of conductive AFM (CAFM) techniques for failure analysis can provide a simultaneous view of the conductivity and topographic properties of the patterned features. As CMOS technology progresses to smaller and smaller devices, the benefits of CAFM techniques have become apparent [1-3]. Herein, we review several cases in which CAFM has been utilized as a fault-isolation technique to detect middle of line (MOL) and front end of line (FEOL) buried defects in 20nm technologies and beyond.

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Fault Localization in Contact Level by Using Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy

ISTFA 2003: Conference Proceedings from the 29th International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis ◽

10.31399/asm.cp.istfa2003p0413 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

Jon C. Lee ◽

J. H. Chuang

Keyword(s):

Atomic Force Microscopy ◽

Integrated Circuits ◽

Fault Localization ◽

Electrical Characterization ◽

Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Optical Electron ◽

Defect Isolation ◽

Voltage Contrast

Abstract As integrated circuits (IC) have become more complicated with device features shrinking into the deep sub-micron range, so the challenge of defect isolation has become more difficult. Many failure analysis (FA) techniques using optical/electron beam and scanning probe microscopy (SPM) have been developed to improve the capability of defect isolation. SPM provides topographic imaging coupled with a variety of material characterization information such as thermal, magnetic, electric, capacitance, resistance and current with nano-meter scale resolution. Conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) has been widely used for electrical characterization of dielectric film and gate oxide integrity (GOI). In this work, C-AFM has been successfully employed to isolate defects in the contact level and to discriminate various contact types. The current mapping of C-AFM has the potential to identify micro-leaky contacts better than voltage contrast (VC) imaging in SEM. It also provides I/V information that is helpful to diagnose the failure mechanism by comparing I/V curves of different contact types. C-AFM is able to localize faulty contacts with pico-amp current range and to characterize failure with nano-meter scale lateral resolution. C-AFM should become an important technique for IC fault localization. FA examples of this technique will be discussed in the article.

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Space-charge-limited current in GaAs

Electronics Letters ◽

10.1049/el:19660237 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 2 (7) ◽

pp. 282

Author(s):

A.M. Phahle ◽

K.C. Kao ◽

J.H. Calderwood

Keyword(s):

Space Charge ◽

Space Charge Limited Current ◽

Limited Current ◽

Space Charge Limited

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