Localization of defects of a metallic layer of a semiconductor circuit

• US 5,976,898 A
• Filed: 12/20/1996
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Brun, Alain, Marty, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): DUTTON, BRIAN KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/770,476
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 438/17, 438/18, 438/10, 438/12
• US Class Current: 438/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/311 of integrated circuits G01R31/31728 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for locating possible defects on an opaque layer deposited on a production wafer of a semiconductor circuit, consisting in locally radiating an upper surface of the wafer by means of a laser, and detecting the occurrence of a current in a diode constituted by a PN junction placed under the opaque layer to be examined.

Claims

1. A method for detecting defects in an opaque layer of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

projecting a directed light source beam onto a surface of the semiconductor wafer;

reverse biasing a PN junction located in the semiconductor wafer proximate to the opaque layer wherein at least one transparent layer is interposed between the opaque layer and the PN junction; and

detecting a current flow in the PN junction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a circuit in the semiconductor wafer; and

connecting two terminals to the PN junction while providing the circuit in the semiconductor wafer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the opaque layer includes a metal interconnect track and reverse biasing the PN junction located in the semiconductor wafer proximate to the opaque layer includes reverse biasing the PN junction proximate to the metallic interconnect track.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the opaque layer includes metallic polysilicide and reverse biasing the PN junction located in the semiconductor wafer proximate to the opaque layer includes reverse biasing the PN junction proximate to the metallic polysilicide.

5. A method for detecting defects in an opaque layer of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

projecting a directed light source beam onto a surface of the semiconductor wafer;

reverse biasing a PN junction proximate to the opaque layer wherein at least one transparent layer is interposed between the directed light source beam and the opaque layer, the opaque layer being located between the directed light source beam and the PN junction; and

detecting a current flow in the PN junction.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

applying stress to the semiconductor wafer;

locating a plurality of vias between the PN junction and a plurality of terminals;

scanning the surface of the semiconductor wafer with the directed light source beam; and

wherein the semiconductor wafer includes a bipolar semiconductor circuit and the directed light source beam is a pulsed beam.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein scanning the surface of the semiconductor wafer includes moving the semiconductor wafer relative to the directed light source beam.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein scanning the surface of the semiconductor wafer includes moving the directed light source beam relative to the semiconductor wafer.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the transparent layer includes at least one of oxide, nitride and glass, further comprising passing the directed light source beam through one of the oxide nitride and glass.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein detecting a current flow in the PN junction includes detecting the current flow passing through a terminal coupled to the PN junction.

11. A method for detecting defects in an opaque layer of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

projecting a directed light source beam toward the semiconductor wafer;

reverse biasing a PN junction proximate to the opaque layer;

passing the directed light source beam through a transparent layer interposed between the opaque layer and the PN junction; and

detecting a current flow in the PN junction.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein passing the directed light source beam through a transparent layer includes passing the directed light source beam though at least one of an oxide, a nitride and a glass.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein detecting a current flow in the PN junction includes detecting a current flow through a terminal coupled to the PN junction with a via.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising moving at least one of the directed light source beam and the semiconductor wafer relative to the other of the directed light source beam and the semiconductor wafer to scan the directed light source beam across a surface of the semiconductor wafer.

15. A method for detecting defects in an opaque portion of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

reverse biasing a PN junction proximate to the opaque portion;

directing a light source beam toward the opaque portion;

positioning at least one of the light source beam and the opaque portion relative to the other of the light source beam and the opaque portion to block at least a portion of the light beam from passing to the PN junction;

moving at least one of the light source beam and the opaque portion relative to the other of the light source beam and the opaque portion to allow the light source beam to pass through a defect area of the opaque portion to the PN junction; and

monitoring the PN junction to detect a current flow at the PN junction.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the opaque portion is the only opaque portion along an optical path taken by the light source beam toward the PN junction and positioning the one of the light source beam and the opaque portion includes positioning the one of the light source beam and the only opaque portion to block at least a portion of the light beam from passing to the PN junction.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein detecting a current flow at the PN junction includes detecting a current flow while no electrical power is applied to the PN junction.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein moving at least one of the light source beam and the opaque portion includes aligning the light source beam with a gap in the opaque portion to allow the light source beam to pass to the PN junction.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the opaque portion includes at least a portion of a fuse and positioning at least one of the light source beam and the opaque portion relative to the other of the light source beam and the opaque portion to block at least a portion of the light beam from passing to the PN junction includes impinging the light source beam on the opaque portion without triggering the fuse.