Antenna ratio definition for VLSI circuits [plasma etch damage]

Until the plasma induced damage phenomenon is well understood and can be eliminated completely by optimizing process parameters, the risk of yield and reliability excursions must still be reduced by charging-robust product design. However, design solutions can only be effective if they are based on a proper definition of the antenna ratio. A number of studies of the charging damage layout dependency show that the antenna ratio concept, as applied at present, is inadequate. In this paper, a new and improved antenna ratio model is proposed and then applied to a product in order to determine its usefulness for detection of plasma etching induced damage conditions in IC layouts.