Xenon plasma focused ion beam specimen preparation is ideal for preparing plan view TEM specimens due to its large-volume-milling capabilities. This article describes concentrated Ar ion beam milling using low energy as a post-pFIB final thinning step of plan view TEM specimens from a phase change memory device. Precise control of specimen thinning is achieved, which results in high-quality specimens with pristine surfaces and a large field of view for TEM characterization.

TEM specimens prepared using a Ga FIB are susceptible to artifacts, such as surface amorphization and ion-implanted layers, that can be problematic in advanced technology nodes, particularly for FinFETs. As this article shows, however, post-FIB cleaning via concentrated argon ion milling makes for a fast and effective specimen preparation process for FinFET devices controlled to a thickness of less than 20 nm. Although the results presented here are based on 14 nm node FinFETs, the method is also applicable to the 10 and 7 nm FinFET technologies currently in production.

The sixth FIB-SEM workshop was held March 1, 2013, in Cambridge, Mass. This article provides a summary of the event along with highlights from the 18 paper presentations.

FIB milling is difficult if not impossible with III-V compound semiconductors and certain interconnect metals because the materials do not react well with the gallium used in most FIB systems. This article discusses the nature of the problem and explains how cryogenic FIB-SEM techniques provide a solution. It describes the basic setup of a FIB-SEM system and provides examples of its use on InN nanocrystals, GaN films, and copper-containing multilayer photovoltaic materials.

Sample preparation is a critical step for dopant profiling of FinFET devices, especially when targeting individual fins. This article describes a sample-preparation technique based on low-energy, shallow-angle ion milling and shows how it minimizes surface amorphization and improves scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) signals representative of local active dopant concentration.

In this article, the authors evaluate micro CNC milling as an alternative to manual parallel lapping for mechanical cross-sectioning of flip-chip packaged samples. They describe both processes, and how they compare to other cross-sectioning techniques, and clearly illustrate the differences. SEM images of a manually polished sample show process-induced cracking, chipping, and delamination at the die-C4 interface. In contrast, the CNC-milled sample is artifact-free and the C4 bumps are uniformly exposed along the entire length of the cross-section.

The 47th International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA 2021) was held in Phoenix, Ariz., from October 31 to November 4, 2011. This article provides a summary of the keynote presentation, technical program, panel discussion, tutorials, User Group meetings, and the Women in Electronics Failure Analysis (WEFA) event.

The 43rd International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA 2017) was held in Pasadena, Calif., November 5-9, 2017. This article provides a summary of the keynote presentation, technical program, panel discussion, tutorials, and User’s Group meetings.

This article discusses the basic procedures involved in atom probe tomography (APT) and demonstrates its use on complex material stacks. Although still a relatively new technique, APT has moved to the forefront of semiconductor failure analysis because it can provide 3D chemical composition of a wide range of materials on a near-atomic scale.

This article discusses the current state of large area integrated circuit deprocessing, the latest achievements in the development of automated deprocessing equipment, and the potential impact of advancements in gas-assisted etching, ion source alternatives, compact spectroscopy, and high-speed lasers.

The 42nd International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA 2016) was held in Fort Worth, Texas, November 6-10, 2016. This article provides a summary of the keynote presentation, technical program, panel discussion, tutorials, and User’s Group meetings.

The 44th International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA 2018) was held in Phoenix, Ariz., October 28 - November 1, 2018. This article provides a summary of the highlights and identifies key contributors to the event. It also includes a summary of a panel discussion on the topic “Failures Worth Analyzing.” It concludes with discussion highlights from the Focused Ion Beam, Sample Preparation, and Contactless Fault Isolation/Nanoprobing user group meetings held at the conference.

Technologies relatively new to failure analysis, like time-correlated photon counting, electro-optical probing, antireflective (AR) coating, Schlieren microscopy, and superconducting quantum interference (SQUID) devices are being leveraged to create faster, more powerful tools to meet increasingly difficult challenges in failure analysis. This article reviews recent advances and research in fault isolation and circuit repair.