SBIR Phase II: Integrated Nano-Electro-Mechanical Scanning Probes for Failure Analysis of the 10-Nanometer Node and Beyond

SBIR 第二阶段：用于 10 纳米及以上节点故障分析的集成纳米机电扫描探针

• 批准号: 1632534
• 负责人: Kwame Amponsah
• 金额: $ 75万
• 依托单位: Xallent LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-10-01 至 2021-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1632534&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Integrated; Nano

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop and commercialize a breakthrough suite of probes and probing platforms for the imaging and probing of semiconductor devices and thin film materials at scales below 100 nm, where conventional techniques are challenged. The resulting products will allow customers to perform a rich range of tests at the nano-scale at costs and times that are a small fraction of those required for conventional platforms such as scanning electron microscopes (SEM), scanning probe microscopes (SPM), and a range of automated test equipment (ATE) based on these technologies. Miniaturization across a range of sectors is driving the development of devices and materials at increasingly minute length scales. Multiple large-scale trends including mobile devices and the internet-of-things are driving an unprecedented volume of engineering at the nanoscale. Much of this is now dependent on the single-tip SPM that has evolved into a broad array of instruments for the analysis of physical, chemical and electrical properties, and to detect and isolate flaws. The Multiple Integrated Tips (MiT) technology that is the focus of this effort takes a radically different approach to enable an even richer range of tests at length scales below one micron, with a faster, simpler and much more cost-effective platform. Given a large install-base of capital equipment, we are focused on probes coupled with adapters that plug into the most popular SEMs and SPMs. These probes significantly expand the functionality of existing systems, and do this with low barriers to acceptance given modest price points and seamless integration into standard industry platforms. A portfolio of probes will be developed to address high-volume needs across the semiconductor and thin film markets, starting with 4-tip devices for the electrical characterization of thin films, and configurable or non-configurable 3-4-tip devices for probing integrated circuits. These will be offered in a variety of sizes and geometries, currently from hundreds of nm to 65 nm, and extending below 10 nanometers within a year. In Phase II, probe functionality will be enhanced to enable coupled imaging and probing with design to operate in AFM mode. The portfolio of products will be continuously expanded to additional two- and three-dimensional geometries via co-development with lighthouse customers.

这个小型企业创新研究 (SBIR) 第二阶段项目将开发并商业化一套突破性的探针和探测平台，用于对 100 nm 以下尺度的半导体器件和薄膜材料进行成像和探测，这对传统技术提出了挑战。由此产生的产品将允许客户在纳米级进行丰富的测试，其成本和时间只是传统平台（如扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、扫描探针显微镜（SPM）和一系列基于这些技术的自动化测试设备 (ATE)。一系列领域的小型化正在推动设备和材料在越来越小的长度尺度上的发展。包括移动设备和物联网在内的多种大规模趋势正在推动纳米尺度的工程量空前增长。现在，这在很大程度上依赖于单尖 SPM，它已发展成为一系列用于分析物理、化学和电气特性以及检测和隔离缺陷的仪器。这项工作的重点是多重集成探针 (MiT) 技术，它采用了一种完全不同的方法，通过更快、更简单且更具成本效益的平台，能够在一微米以下的长度范围内进行更丰富的测试。鉴于资本设备安装基础庞大，我们专注于与可插入最流行的 SEM 和 SPM 的适配器相结合的探头。这些探测器显着扩展了现有系统的功能，并且考虑到适中的价格点和与标准行业平台的无缝集成，接受壁垒较低。将开发一系列探针，以满足半导体和薄膜市场的大批量需求，首先是用于薄膜电气特性表征的 4 尖端器件，以及用于探测集成的可配置或不可配置的 3-4 尖端器件电路。 这些产品将提供各种尺寸和几何形状，目前从数百纳米到 65 纳米，并将在一年内扩展到​​ 10 纳米以下。 在第二阶段，探针功能将得到增强，以实现耦合成像和探测，并设计在 AFM 模式下运行。通过与 Lighthouse 客户共同开发，产品组合将不断扩展到更多的二维和三维几何形状。