Application of secondary electron potential contrast on junction leakage isolation

Abstract

Secondary electron potential contrast (SEPC) technology with an in situ dynamic trigger was studied to inspect P(+)/N-well junction leakage arising from P-well misalignment in a static random access memory cell. Combining SEPC with scanning electron microscopy observations allows direct identification of the junction shift. Furthermore, an in situ negative bias applied to the P-well can create a wider depletion region and eliminate the leakage path in P(+)/N-well contacts, allowing the P(+)/N well to operate normally. This proposed in situ dynamic trigger method is a promising and effective approach to investigating device physics under a dynamic scope. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3233963]