A Detailed Analysis Scheme to Interpret Multiple Photon Emissions Micrograph for Improved Diagnostic Resolution on Open Defects

Photon Emission Microscopy is the most widely used mainstream defect isolation technique in failure analysis labs. It is easy to perform and has a fast turnaround time for results. However, interpreting a photon emission micrograph to postulate the suspected defect site accurately is challenging when there are multiple abnormal hotspots and driving nets involved. This is commonly encountered in dynamic emission micrographs that are caused by open defects in digital logic. This paper presents a methodology incorporating layout-aware trace analysis and post schematic extraction with test bench analysis to enhance the diagnostic resolution on the suspected defective net(s).