Method and Apparatus for Localizing Weak Points Within an Electrical Circuit

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for localizing weak points within an electrical circuit in which the circuit to be tested is covered with a liquid crystal and is heated to a temperature just below the clearing point of the liquid crystal, and in which the liquid crystal converts into its unordered condition given a temperature rise. The method is particularly characterized in that at least one current is produced by irradiating a three-dimensional region by generating electron-hole pairs within the electrical circuit, the at least one current causing a temperature rise at at least one weak point of the electrical circuit. The apparatus comprises a means for heating the electrical circuit comprising a liquid crystal on the surface of the electrical circuit and is particularly characterized by means for irradiating the three-dimensional region within the electrical circuit and for generating electron-hole pairs in the three-dimensional region.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Thermography, i.e. the measurement of temperature distributions on surfaces, is increasingly gaining in significance for the development and quality analysis of integrated circuits or of other current-permeated electrical components. The presently most sensitive method for identifying "hot spots" (locally limited thermally loaded regions) is temperature measurement with liquid crystal layers in a polarization microscope. The liquid crystal layers are applied to the surfaces to be investigated. The study of birefringence of the liquid crystal serves in the polarized light for the identification of structures of this liquid crystal. Conclusions can be drawn regarding temperature differences within the surface to be investigated from structural changes of the liquid crystal layer on the surface to be investigated. Electrical properties within this surface can then be concluded from the temperature differences within the surface to be investigated.

When a liquid crystal layer has been applied to the surface of an integrated circuit, the electrical property (dissipated power, temperature) of that location on the surface which is impinged by a laser beam can be concluded from the intensity of the reflection of a laser beam which occurs through the system liquid crystal layer/surface.

The principle of a "hot spot" detector is disclosed in the PCT application WO 83/01 989. This application is based on a U.S. application, Ser. No. 326,224, filed Dec. 1, 1981 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,746, and fully incorporated herein by this reference.

Only the hottest locations can be detected with such a known thermography method. A dosing of the temperature elevation for the detection of weak points which are more or less pronounced is not possible with such a known thermography method. A localization of leakage current channels with this known thermography method is therefore possible practically only in formulations.

As described in any textbook of scanning electron microscopy, a pn junction of a semiconductor diode can be imaged in a scanning electron microscope with the assistance of an induced specimen current (EBIC: Electron Beam Induced Current). Primary electrons thereby penetrate into the semiconductor diode with an energy of, for example, 20 keV. These primary electrons are thereby scattered and loose their energy in a so-called scatter volume. The primary electrons generate electron-hole pairs in this scatter volume by ionization. When the scatter volume is located at a sufficiently large distance from the pn junction of the semiconductor diode, then the electrons and holes recombine with one another after they have traversed, on average, a path corresponding to their respective diffusion lengths. When the primary electron beam migrates across the surface of the semiconductor diode and thereby approaches the pn junction, then diffusing charge carriers finally proceed into the influencing region of the electrical field of the space charge zone of the pn junction. The respective minority carriers are respectively accelerated onto the other side of the pn junction by this electrical field (electrons on the n side, holes on the p side). Given a closed external circuit, a "charge separation current" (EBIC) is present which can be measured, amplified and used, for example, for the intensity modulation of the picture tube of the scanning electron microscope.

A closed circuit which encompasses the leakage current channel to be localized is required for generating such a charge separation circuit (EBIC). Such a closed circuit at the leakage current, however, is generally not present within integrated circuits.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus of the type initially set forth with whose assistance leakage current channels within the integrated circuits can be completely localized.

The above object is achieved in a method for localizing weak points within an electrical circuit whereby the electrical circuit to be tested is covered with a liquid crystal and is heated to a temperature just below the clearing point of the liquid crystal, whereby the liquid crystal converts into its unordered condition given a temperature rise, and is particularly characterized in that at least one current is produced by irradiating a three-dimensional region by generating electron-hole pairs within the electrical circuit, the current causing a temperature rise and at least one weak point of the electrical circuit.

With the method of the invention, leakage current channels within integrated circuits can be displayed with the assistance of a liquid crystal as an indicator layer and with the assistance of a moving, focused probe as a stimulus for hot spots. The moving, focused probe can be a laser probe as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,008, fully incorporated herein by this reference. The moving, focused probe can also be some other light probe.

Local electron-hole pairs can be generated at the point of incidence of the probe. At least one local current is thereby induced. When the point of incidence of the probe is an arbitrary circuit node, different local currents can likewise be generated in different electrical conductors. The local currents elicit a temperature elevation in the electrical conductors in which they flow. The location of this temperature elevation is locally defined by the point of incidence of the probe. The more strongly pronounced a weak point within the integrated circuit, fewer and fewer electron-hole pairs must be generated in the immediate proximity of such a weak point so that the temperature elevation elicited at this weak point suffices to heat the liquid crystal covering the surface of the integrated circuit to such a degree that the weak point can be documented as such via a phase transition (structural conversion) of the liquid crystal. The number of electron-hole pairs generated depends on the intensity of the light radiation impacting the point of incidence. The intensity of the light radiation impinging the point of incidence must be all the higher the less pronounced the weak point is so that this pronounced weak point can be documented as a weak point by way of a phase conversion of the liquid crystal.

The wavelength of the light radiation impinging on the point of incidence defines the penetration depth of the probe. A depth profile within the integrated circuit can be recorded with respect to weak points by way of varying the wave length of the probe.

Since the method of the invention can be applied with particular advantage in the development of large scale integrated circuits and, since large scale integrated circuits to be investigated in this stage of development are not yet coated with an oxide layer, relatively low particle energies are adequate in order to generate electron-hole pairs, for example a particle energy of 5 keV in an electron probe suffices.

It is not only hottest locations, i.e. the most pronouned weak points, which can be documented within an integrated circuit with the method and with the apparatus of the invention but, rather, weak points which are less pronounced can also be documented by varying the intensity of the incident light radiation and by a corresponding adjustment of the temperature of the liquid crystal just below a structure conversion temperature at which the liquid crystal changes its optical properties.

No special, external closed circuit is required, for example, in EBIC the same is not needed given the method and the apparatus of the present invention for the detection of weak points or, respectively, of a leakage current channel.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention, its organization, construction and operation will be best understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, on which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of apparatus for carrying out the present invention; and

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate a result obtained with the assistance of the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. As in liquid crystal thermography, the integrated circuit IC to be investigated is covered with a liquid crystal LC and is heated on a hot table T to a temperature which lies just below the clearing point of the liquid crystal LC. Below the clearing point, the liquid crystal LC comprises ordered regions which appear as luminously bright regions in a picture screen (not shown in FIG. 1) after passage of the light reflected at the surface of the integrated circuit IC through the polarization filter PF and after processing of the reflected light in a photomultiplier PM. Above the clearing point, the liquid crystal LC comprises an unordered, amorphous structure. After reflection of the light at the surface of the integrated circuit LC, such unordered regions of the liquid crystal LC appear dark on the image following the polarization filter PF and following the photomultiplier PM.

The integrated circuit IC is preferably operated at the upper limit of the supply voltage. As a result of irradiation with the light of a laser L, in a laser scanning microscope, currents are generated at discrete, spatially defined locations by generating electron-hole pairs at the point of incidence of the laser light. These currents cause a spatially punctiform temperature rise at weak points within the electrical circuit in the immediate or further proximity of the point of incidence of the light radiation. When generating low currents, weak points can only be documented in the immediate proximity of the point of incidence of the laser light. When generating high currents as a consequence of a high intensity of the impinging laser light, weak points which lie at a greater distance from the point of incidence of the laser light can also be documented, i.e. the electrical connection between the point of incidence and the weak point can also be longer.

A laser scanning microscope, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,008, fully incorporated herein by this reference, can be employed, for example, as the laser scanning microscope. The light of the laser L is:

focused with the assistance of a lens 01;

collimated with the assistance of a lens 02;

deflected by 90.degree. by a mirror S2;

focused with the assistance of a further lens 03;

again collimated with a further lens 04;

deflected by a variable angle of approximately 90.degree. by a mirror S3;

again focused by a lens 05;

simultaneously deflected by a variable angle of approximately 90.degree. by a mirror S4;

again collimated with the assistance of a further lens 06; and

finally focused onto the object with the assistance of a final lens 07.

The light reflected at the object first traverses the same beam path in the reverse direction, and is then deflected by 90.degree. by a semi-transmissive mirror S1 in front of the lens 01 on its return path and then traverses the polarization filter PF in order, finally, to be further processed in the photomultiplier PM.

The mirrors S3 and S4 which are variable in terms of their three-dimensional disposition enable the adjustment of the focused light beam to any desired discrete point on the surface of the integrated circuit IC and, therefore, also enable a scanning of this surface of the integrated IC.

When the laser scanning microscope is operated as a polarization microscope, the spatial, local temperature rise at a weak point is registered in the laser scanning microscope as a conversion of the liquid crystal LC into its amorphous, unordered condition at this spatial local point of the weak point ("hot spot"). The advantage of such a method is that the high current, i.e. high temperature can be caused such that it remains locally limited. It can therefore be prevented that such a temperature elevation which is caused by a cause of no interest would lead to a conversion of the overall liquid crystal LC from the ordered phase into the unordered phase. Such a cause of no interest may be seen, for example, in that, as a consequence of a current supply of larger portions of the integrated circuit IC or the entire circuit IC, some components gradually become hot proceeding from the exterior, these components being completely uninteresting in the surge for a weak point in a specific portion of the integrated circuit IC.

Electronic components can be tested in any operating mode with such a method. A special, external circuit for error recognition is not necessary given such a method. Such a method enables the direct discovery of weak points without specific test patterns having to be applied to an integrated circuit IC.

Weak points or, respectively, leakage current channels at greater depths of the integrated circuit IC can be made visible by long-wave lasers, for example in the infrared range, which have a high penetration depth. When a variable frequency laser L is employed or when different lasers L having different wave lengths are employed, depth profiles of the integrated circuit IC can be recorded with respect to weak points.

FIG. 2 illustrates a further apparatus for practicing the invention. The integrated circuit IC to be tested is again covered with a liquid crystal LC and is located on a hot table T whose temperature is heated up to just below the clearing point of the liquid crystal LC. The temperature of the liquid crystal LC is set, for example, such that it is about 1/2K below that temperature at which the liquid crystal LC converts into its amorphous, non-crystalline condition. Proceeding from a light source L, a location to be investigated on the surface of the integrated circuit IC is radiated with light to a first polarizer P1. This light is reflected at the system interface of the liquid crystal LC and the surface of the integrated circuit IC. This reflected light proceeds through a second polarizer P2 to a detector D, for example a human eye. The polarizers P1, P2 are disposed crossed. When, for example, MBBA (N-(p-methoxy-benzylidene)-p-n-butylaniline) is employed as a liquid crystal, and the two crossed polarizers P1, P2 are disposed at angular positions 45.degree. relative to one another, then a crystalline region of the liquid crystal LC appears bright at the detector D. When, due to a temperature increase, a three-dimensional region of the liquid crystal LC has converted into the amorphous condition, then the clear liquid crystal LC appears dark in the reflection at the detector D. The temperature rise in a three-dimensionally limited region, for example a weak point within an integrated circuit, is thereby produced by a radiation of a spatially-locally defined location with the assistance of a second light beam L1. More or less high currents are thereby produced at the point of incidence of the second light beam L1 by generating electron-hole pairs, these currents causing a three-dimensional local temperature increase at weak points of the integrated circuit LC. This apparatus offers the advantage that other locations within the electrical circuit can also be viewed, namely locations other than that location which is heated with the second light beam L1. As a result, locations other than that location which is heated with a second light beam L1 can also be detected as weak points.

FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b illustrate the result of a measurement with the method and apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3a illustrates a scan imaging of the surface of an integrated circuit IC with the assistance of a laser scanning microscope. The laser scanning microscope is thereby operated as a polarization microscope and successively scans the entire surface or a portion of the surface of the integrated circuit IC.

FIG. 3b shows the same image as in FIG. 3a. Before the image of FIG. 3b was generated, relatively high currents where, however, generated in the region of the "hot spot" S. When flowing through a weak point ("hot spot" S), these high currents have effected a heating and, therefore, a conversion of the liquid crystal LC into its amorphous condition. A laser scanning microscope can be operated as and to generate a laser probe. However, it is also conceivable that an additional laser supplies the light required for generating the electron-hole pairs.

Although we have described our invention by reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. We therefore intend to include within the patent warranted hereon all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of our contribution to the art.