Developments of new concept analytical instruments for failure analyses of sub-100 nm devices

Abstract We have developed analytical instruments based on new concepts for failure analyses of devices of 100 nm dimensions or less. They are a sputtered neutral mass spectrometer with focused ion beam for highly sensitive element analysis in microarea (10 18 atoms/cm 3 in 30 nm area), transmission electron microscope (TEM) with electron energy loss spectrometer for chemical bond analysis in less than 2 nm area, Nanoprober for electrical characteristics inspection in actual circuits, computed tomography-TEM for three-dimensional observation of crystalline defect with 1 nm spatial resolution, atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer for trace impurities ppq (parts per quadrillion) analysis in gases, and glow discharge optical emission spectrometer for rapid and precise composition analysis. Using these instruments, it was found that the formation of SiO 2 or TiO x film by water from titanic acid (TiO x ·H 2 O) is the cause of the high resistivity in a contact (CVD-W/CVD-TiN/Ti/Si) and vaporization of silicon dioxide by phosphorus trifluoride (PF 3 ) is the cause of voids in interlayer dielectric film borophosphosilicate glass.