Improved integrated circuit failure analysis using SEM video processing

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Abstract
Video processing of voltage contrast information from the scanning electron microscope is used to reduce unnecessary information in order to enhance voltage contrast effects and pattern recognition. A video comparator is employed to sample the video information of any two portions of the device operating cycle. The comparator output is the algebraic difference of the two samplings thereby producing an image of areas that have changed between samplings. Unchanged areas appear gray, whereas bright and dark areas indicate shifts towards a more negative or positive potential. By suppressing static areas, small detail and logical patterns are easily distinguished even at low magnification. Synchronization of the comparator samplings to the device operation cycle isolates specific IC logic functions. The comparator which operates at video frequencies is extended to give a time resolution of one nanosecond by the addition of SEM stroboscopic techniques.

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