Failure Analysis of FinFET Circuitry at GHz Speeds Using Voltage-Contrast and Stroboscopic Techniques on a Scanning Electron Microscope

Abstract We report on using the voltage-contrast mechanism of a scanning electron microscope to probe electrical waveforms on FinFET transistors that are located within active integrated circuits. The FinFET devices are accessed from the backside of the integrated circuit, enabling electrical activity on any transistor within a working device to be probed. We demonstrate gigahertz-bandwidth probing at 10-nm resolution using a stroboscopic pulsed electron source.