Abstract With the device geometries shrinking, defect isolation becomes more challenging with the reduction of operating voltage and current levels. In this failure analysis study, a combination of AFP current contrast imaging and nanoprobing at the contact layer successfully isolated the defect location to a specific poly feature, where prior PVC analysis had been unsuccessful. The diagnosis was validated with subsequent high beam SEM inspection and TEM analysis, which revealed residual material beneath the suspected failing poly feature causing the poly to N+ diffusion short failure.