Apparatus and systems for integrated circuit diagnosis

Abstract

Apparatus and systems provide a mechanism to examine physical properties and/or diagnose problems at a selected location of an integrated circuit. Such apparatus and systems can include a source of an energetic beam directed at the selected location. The apparatus and systems may be used to provide examination and/or diagnostic methods that may be used in areas smaller than one micron in diameter and that may be used to remove IC layers, either selectively or non-selectively, until a desired depth is obtained.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a vacuum chamber including a fixture disposed to position a sample for localized excited chemical radical etching;   a material inlet in the vacuum chamber to create a layer of a selected chemical combination in proximity with a surface of the sample;   a source to provide an energetic beam directed at a selected location on the surface of the sample to form chemical radicals in the layer in proximity with the surface, the energetic beam having a diameter and an energy level;   a chemical etch endpoint detector; and   a tester to diagnose integrated circuit problems at the selected location.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an analysis device to examine material removed from the selected location on the surface of the sample and the vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the analysis device includes at least one of a mass spectrograph, a residual gas analyzer, a mass spectrograph, an optical emission spectrograph, an atomic absorption spectrograph, an infrared spectrograph, a Raman spectrograph, or a scanning electron microscope. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material inlet includes at least one of a gas port, a gas showerhead, a gas jet, a sublimation device, a liquid injector, an atomizer, or a bubbler. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source includes a source configured to generate an electron beam. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the source configured to generate the electron beam is a portion of a scanning electron microscope. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the scanning electron microscope is disposed to provide images of a localized etch area formed by the localized excited chemical radical etching during the formation of chemical radicals. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the selected chemical combination comprises a halogen containing material. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the selected chemical combination comprises at least one of a chlorocarbon material, a fluorocarbon material, a chlorofluorocarbon material, a silicon containing material, an oxidizer, or a chemically inert material. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the selected chemical combination comprises at least one of a gas, a liquid, or a solid. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a vacuum chamber including a fixture for positioning an integrated circuit;   means for creating a layer of a selected chemical combination in proximity with at least a portion of the surface of the integrated circuit;   a source of an energetic beam directed at a selected location on the surface to form chemical radicals to expose a portion of the integrated circuit; and   an analysis device to examine physical properties of the exposed portion of the integrated circuit.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the source of the energetic beam includes a source configured to generate an electron beam. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the source configured to generate the electron beam is a portion of a scanning electron microscope. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the scanning electron microscope is configured to provide images of the electron beam area during the formation of chemical radicals 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the selected chemical combination includes xenon difluoride. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the selected chemical combination comprises a halogen containing compound. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the means for creating a layer of a selected chemical combination in proximity with the surface of the sample includes a directed gas inlet, a gaseous diffusion head, a sublimation device, a bubbler, or a liquid spray device. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a scanning electron microscope having a vacuum chamber including a fixture disposed in the vacuum chamber to position a sample for localized excited chemical radical etching, the scanning electron microscope operably arranged as a chemical etch endpoint detector;   a material inlet in the vacuum chamber to introduce material to create a layer of a selected chemical combination in proximity with a surface of the sample;   an electron beam source of the scanning electron microscope arranged to provide an electron beam directed at a selected location on the surface of the sample to form chemical radicals in the layer in proximity with the surface, the electron beam having a diameter and an energy level; and   an analysis device to diagnose integrated circuit problems at the selected location.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the scanning electron microscope is configured to use a voltage contrast mode to observe continuity of a conductor exposed by the localized excited chemical radical etching. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the analysis device includes one or more apparatus configured to perform mass spectroscopy, optical emission spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive analysis of X-rays, or X-ray emission spectroscopy.