Electrical failure analysis

Best in class Electrical Failure Analysis (EFA) system for your electron microscope.

Perform quantitative EBIC, EBAC/RCI and EBIRCh to precisely localize and characterize defects in semiconductor chips.

Navigate through EFA applications

Next-generation EFA combined with nanoprobing

We offer a high-resolution and intuitive nanoprobing system that includes the best-in-class Electrical Failure Analysis (EFA) module. It enables the user to identify the root cause of failure in semiconductor devices quickly and precisely. Fully integrated in our Precisio™ software suite, this turnkey solution delivers an optimized EFA workflow which saves the users time and effort.

The Electrical Failure Analysis (EFA) solution includes imaging and electrical analysis hardware controllers from point electronic. The "SEM and Electrical Analysis" module of the Precisio™ software suite unifies the control of the scanning electron microscope, the probers and the EFA controllers.

Live imaging for reduced time-to-data

Precisio is designed for straightforward image and data acquisition. EFA signals are shown live in the microscope images, without any need for post-processing. This approach saves time and helps to locate hidden defects.

The main features of our live imaging approach:

  • Simultaneous acquisition of multiple signals.
  • Integrated live imaging with predefined imaging settings to quickly acquire high-quality images.
  • Live color mixing for best possible localization.

Automated routing for simplified workflow

Some EFA experiments require the use of many probes and switching from one technique to the other. With the complete software integration and automated routing, the user can keep focus on the failure cases, while the software takes care of the rest.

  • The software keeps track of all probers’ wiring so the user does not need to keep track of how things are connected.
  • Automated routing enables safe remote switching between techniques without having to touch the cables.
  • Integrated relays let the user decide which probes should be used for which technique.

High-performance analysis of a wide range of failure cases

We offer an advanced version of the EFA module (OPT-EFAA2) to catch small defects with low impedance that can be hidden by noise. Features of this version include:

  • In-situ preamplification optimized for RCI signals with low impedance.
  • Robustness against the noise from connectors, feedthroughs and cables.

Schedule a demo

We offer several ways to demonstrate the applications of our solution to the user.

Physical or Online Demonstration
Visit one of our fully equipped demonstration facilities worldwide. Our applications team will perform live demonstrations and feasibility studies, onsite or online.

Live and On-Demand Webinars
We offer regular webinars about EFA and other related techniques. Register for one of the next events to keep up-to-date.

EFA Services
We offer EFA services in our application center in Switzerland to help solve electrical failure cases. Contact us for more information and to request a quotation.

Electrical Failure Analysis for Semiconductors

The trends of increasing structural complexity in devices and shrinking technology nodes go hand-in-hand with a higher risk of electrical defects, which are often more difficult to detect. Electrical Failure Analysis (EFA) bridges Electrical Characterization (nanoprobing) and Physical Failure Analysis. EFA aims to localize and identify design and fabrication faults, which can affect the yield, reliability and performance of semiconductor devices.

A multitude of techniques to identify and analyze failure

Electrical Failure Analysis includes several techniques based on different types of beam/sample interaction:

  • EBAC/RCI
  • EBIC
  • EBIRCh

The choice of the technique depends on the physical nature of the defect.

EBAC/RCI

Electron Beam Absorbed Current (EBAC) and Resistance Contrast Imaging (RCI) measure the current absorbed by the sample.

These techniques are used to precisely locate and analyze shorts and opens in a circuit, in order to:

  • Analyze electrical failures in processors, memories and sensors.
  • Map conductivity in resistive structures.
  • Perform reverse engineering.

An example of EBAC application

EBIC

Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) measures the current induced by the electron beam in the depletion zone of a semiconducting element that is in the presence of an external electrical field. It is used to map internal electric fields and to electrically characterize the activity of defects. Typical applications include:

  • Characterization of photovoltaics, optoelectronics and power devices
  • Fundamental research on electrical activity of crystalline defects

An example of EBIC application

EBIRCh

Electron Beam Induced Resistance Change (EBIRCh) is complementary to the EBIC and EBAC/RCI techniques. During EBIRCh, current from a voltage source (bias) is forced through the probed structure. The locations where the electron beam is able to change the resulting current (measured resistance) reveal the defects. EBIRCh can be used to:

  • Identify shorts in gate oxide.
  • Finding soft failures in transistors.

An example of EBIRCh application

International Sales and Customer Support

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