Method for detecting stress migration properties

• US 8,323,991 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Fischer, Armin, Von Glasow, Alexander, Von Hagen, Jochen
• Primary Examiner(s): Landau, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malek, Maliheh
• Application Number:
  US12/980,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20110097826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 438/5, 438 10- 12, 438 14- 15, 438 17- 18, 257/48, 257/E23.179, 257/E21.521, 257/E21.522, 257/E21.524
• US Class Current: 438/17
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/34 Circuits for electrically characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes, e. g. whole test die, wafers filled with test structures, on-board-devices incorporated on each die, process control monitors or pad structures thereof, devices in scribe line switching, multiplexing, gating devices G01R19/25; process control with lithography, e.g. dose control, G03F7/20; structures for alignment control by optical means G03F7/70633
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A device and method are provided for detecting stress migration properties of a semiconductor module mounted in a housing. A stress migration test (SMT) structure is formed in the semiconductor module. An integrated heating (IH) device is formed within or in direct proximity to the SMT structure. The SMT structure includes a first interconnect region in a first interconnect layer, a second interconnect region in a second interconnect layer, and a connecting region electrically connecting the interconnect regions through a first insulating layer. The IH device includes a heating interconnect region through which a heating current flows. The heating interconnect region is within or outside the first or second interconnect region or connecting region. When the heating current is applied, a measurement voltage is applied to the SMT structure, and a current through the SMT structure is measured to detect stress migration properties of the semiconductor module.

Claims

1. A method for detecting stress migration properties of a semiconductor module finally mounted in a product-relevant housing, the method comprising

a) forming a detection device in a semiconductor module, the detection device comprising a stress migration test structure, which is formed in the semiconductor module, and an integrated heating device, which is formed within or in direct proximity to the stress migration test structure in the semiconductor module;

b) mounting the semiconductor module on a module carrier;

c) forming a product-relevant housing around the mounted semiconductor module;

d) applying a heating current to the integrated heating device; and

e) applying a measurement voltage to the stress migration test structure and measuring a current through the stress migration test structure to detect stress migration properties of the semiconductor module.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flip-chip carrier is mounted as the module carrier.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plastic injection-molding method is carried out.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating current generates a local temperature of greater than 150 degrees Celsius.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating current generates a local temperature of from 225 degrees Celsius to 300 degrees Celsius.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein d) and e) are carried out simultaneously.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein d) and e) are carried out temporally separately from one another.