SBIR Phase I: Scanning Magnetic Microscope Using a Tapered Magnetoresistive Probe for Nanoscale Current Imaging of Integrated Circuits

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段的研究项目旨在重铸高纵横比探头几何形状的磁阻传感器，以实现大范围封装微电子设备中弱埋流的纳米级成像。集成电路的制造已经成为越来越复杂的纳米级技术。有了这些尺寸，在金属层形成短路或高电阻缺陷（电阻开口）的倾向正在增加，其中“致命缺陷”可能是看不见的，尺寸只有几十纳米。其目标是在研磨腔中实现灵敏度为~50 nA、分辨率为~100 nm的电流图像。这将通过开发一种具有50微米尖端的创新探针设计来实现，该探针可以在非接触模式下快速扫描。该计划中提出的技术发展对主要半导体制造商以及从事先进集成电路的所有其他半导体制造商至关重要。由于复杂的封装方案，所需的工具必须具有纳米级分辨率和能够在铣削腔中工作的探针几何形状。对国家来说，这意味着更快地引进先进的电子产品，这将对所有行业产生广泛的影响，并最终提高生活质量和劳动生产率。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I research project is aimed at recasting magneto-resistive sensors in a high aspect ratio probe geometry to achieve nanoscale imaging of weak buried currents in a large range of packaged microelectronic devices. The manufacture of integrated circuits has become an increasingly complex nanoscale technology. With these dimensions, the propensity for the formation of shorts or high resistance defects (resistive opens) at the metal layers is increasing where "killer defects" may be non-visual and only be a few tens of nanometers in size. The goals are to achieve current images with a sensitivity of ~50 nA and a resolution ~100 nm in milled cavities. This will be achieved through developing an innovative probe design with a 50 micron tip that can be rapidly scanned in non-contact mode.The technology development that is proposed in this program is of critical interest to major semiconductor manufacturers, as well as all other semiconductor manufacturers working on advanced integrated circuits. The needed tools must have nanoscale resolution and a probe geometry capable of working in milled cavities due to the complex packaging schemes. For the nation, it means faster introduction of advanced electronics that will have a broad impact across all industries and ultimately improve quality of life and labor productivity.