The Meridian-IV is a fully integrated, performance-driven electrical failure analysis platform providing industry-leading sensitivity for fault and defect localization. Meridian-IV is the preferred choice for developers of advanced, low-voltage, high-density semiconductor devices requiring best-in-class performance and the ability to diagnose wide ranging failure modes, including parametric failures and those resulting from design-process marginalities.
Failure analysis at the 45 nm technology node becomes increasingly complexas new, more subtle failures begin to appear with increasing frequency. Adopting new dynamic analysis applications and workflows can solve many of these challenges and greatly increase fault coverage beyond conventional static faults. By delivering a powerful combination of both dynamic and static techniques, the Meridian-IV electrical failure analysis platform enables rapid validation of VLSI circuit designs, accurate isolation of reliability and yield-limiting defects, as well as identification of parametric defects: all of which effectively contribute towards achieving increasingly tighter time-to-market and profitability goals.
Optional Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM) for static and dynamic analysis
Inverted platform for easy ATE direct docking
Works easily with packaged parts and wafer/die backside samples
NEXS software integration for emission site analysis
Image Stitching
High quality, high magnification image mosaics are easily obtained using the Meridian-IV. Individual high magnification images are acquired and then seamlessly integrated to form a complete mosaic of the device.
Dynamic failure analysis
The continued evolution of semiconductor technology is driving requirements for design and failure analysis beyond traditional static techniques such as Static Emission (SE) and Static Laser Stimulation (SLS). For example, smaller geometries and the associated process technologies result in photon emission from both passing and failing transistors, making the task of differentiating between the operating characteristics of good and bad devices difficult.
Parametric defects are uncovered only when the failing device is operated under a specific set of operations parameters - typically a combination of voltage, clock speed, and temperature. Implementing strong detection technology coupled with a set of advanced analytical methodologies allows for the introduction of new, dynamic applications such as Logic State Mapping (LoSM) and Dynamic Laser Stimulation (DLS).
Meridian effectively addresses these challenges by using the most advanced inverted microscope architecture to ensure compatibility and flexibility for interfacing with any ATE stimulus. Meridian's optics and detection systems are designed to the highest performance standards in order to facilitate the development of the most advanced dynamic applications and techniques while maintaining the capability to isolate static faults.
Photon Emission Microscopy (PEM) on the Meridian platform is based on an optimized combination of a high sensitivity short-wave infrared (SWIR) InGaAs camera and high numerical aperture (NA) aberration corrected optics. This combination provides high resolution through-silicon imaging and low-signal photon detection over the 0.9 to 1.6um spectral range, a capability particularly useful for backside device analysis. This optimized low-noise, high-sensitivity configuration enables emission acquisitions with unmatched signal-to-noise ratios resulting in rapid, transistor-level fault detection, even on sub-1 volt devices.
Static and Dynamic Laser Stimulation
The Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM) option transforms the Meridian into a high-resolution, high-contrast confocal laser scanning system optimized for both static and dynamic failure analysis. Static Laser Stimulation (SLS) applications such as OBIRCH, OBIC, and Seebeck Effect Imaging (SEI) identify the sources of shorts and resistive defects, providing the perfect complement to emission-based techniques.
Control
The Meridian failure analysis platform is controlled by the mature, Windows-based BEAMS user environment and analysis software package.
This well thought out and feature-rich environment has been continually improved upon over the last 20 years, providing superior fault localization and analysis capabilities.
The BEAMS software, when used with Meridian-IV's improved optics, facilitates the device analysis by providing features such as the image mosaic, which allows multiple high magnification images to be "tiled" together to form a complete image
Options
Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM)
Standard Solid Immersion Lens (SIL)
175x Long Working Distance SIL (LWD-SIL)
High performance L256 InGaAs camera
High performance L1K InGaAs camera
CCD camera
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