United States

Increasing 3D complexities in modern chipsets necessitate new approaches to fault isolation and post-silicon debug. Recent innovations, including backside power delivery networks and multi-die stacking, impede traditional optical techniques, such as laser-assisted device alteration (LADA). Here we report on the development of a first-of-a-kind x-ray-assisted device alteration (XADA) tool capable of integrating with modern integrated circuit test equipment and demonstrate the use of XADA for real fault isolation and post-silicon debug cases.

IRPS 2024 Main Conference

Laboratory X-Ray-Assisted Device Alteration for Fault Isolation and Post-Silicon Debug

debug

xada

fault isolation

technical paper

#### Welcome to the 62nd IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS)! 
**The 2024 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS) will be held in Dallas, Texas from April 14 to 18, 2024. It will be presented as an in-person conference, with a virtual component available.** 

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**[IRPS 2024 eGuide](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DHxkWbafodK_D2HlDi7lwRK7KatgBgBD/view?usp=drive_link)**

Please save the zip file locally and click the "start.pdf" to view the file. 
 
**IRPS 2024 General Chair Welcome Message**

On behalf of the Management Committee of the IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS) and the IRPS Board of Directors, it gives me great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to all who are planning to attend the IRPS 2024, scheduled to take place from April 14-18, 2024, in Dallas, TX. 
Over its 62-year history, IRPS has solidified its position as the premiere conference for engineers and scientists to present new and original work in the field of microelectronics reliability. Drawing participants from the United States, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world, IRPS aims to deepen our understanding of reliability of semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, and microelectronic assemblies through an improved understanding of both the physics of failure as well as the application environment. IRPS offers diverse opportunities for attendees to enhance their knowledge and understanding of all aspects of microelectronics reliability. It is also an outstanding chance to meet and network with reliability colleagues from around the world.

The IRPS 2024 technical activities will begin with two days of a total of twenty tutorial sessions covering a broad spectrum of emerging reliability topics beyond CMOS device, circuit and system reliability. These sessions are devoted to both newcomers as well as experts. Three reliability Year in Review (YIR) talks focusing on neuromorphic computing, dielectric breakdown in leading edge devices, and GaN technology will be provided on Monday after the tutorials.

The IRPS 2024 technical program will feature four distinguished keynote talks in the plenary sessions delivered by Prof. Shinichi Takagi from The University of Tokyo and Dr. Su Jin Ahn from Samsung on Tuesday, Dr. Rajeev Malik from IBM on Wednesday, and Dr. Sameer Pendharkar from Texas Instruments on Thursday. The technical program, organized into three parallel tracks, consists of contributed and seventeen invited papers from leaders in industry and academia. Additionally, two invited talks by recipients of paper awards from our sister conferences, European Symposium on Reliability of Electron Device Failure Physics and Analysis (ESREF) 2023 and the International Integrated Reliability Workshop (IIRW) 2023, will be given in the technical program. 

Tuesday evening will host ten workshops, offering an opportunity for in-depth, face-to-face discussions on emerging reliability challenges, including the three IRPS 2024 focus topics. A poster session will be held in the Austin Ranch outside the symposium building on Wednesday evening. Both events are sure to be lively. The IRPS 2024 and the International ESD Workshop (IEW) will be co-hosted with IEW registrants participating in both IRPS and IEW programs.

The IRPS 2024 will adopt a hybrid conference style, allowing virtual access to live oral presentations hosted by the Underline. Real-time streaming of all technical events (excluding Workshops and Posters) will be available in the US Central Timezone, providing virtual attendees with Q&A opportunities. For those virtual attendees who cannot watch the live presentations, the material will be available on demand to all attendees after the symposium. All authors will be presenting in person.

Finally, I would like to extend my extreme gratitude to our patrons, exhibitors, and all participants for their invaluable support, which makes IRPS successful. 

Please enjoy the IRPS 2024!

Koji Eriguchi, General Chair 
of 2024 IRPS Management Committee
 
**About IRPS** 
The IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS) is the premiere conference for engineers and scientists to present new and original work in the area of microelectronics reliability. Drawing participants from the United States, Europe, Asia, and all parts of the world, IRPS seeks to understand the reliability of semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, and microelectronic assemblies through an improved understanding of both the physics of failure as well as the application environment. IRPS provides numerous opportunities for attendees to increase their knowledge and understanding of all aspects of microelectronics reliability, and to meet and network with reliability colleagues from around the world.

To access the site please register [**here**](https://www.irps.org/registration-fees). 

The IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS) is the premiere conference for engineers and scientists to present new and original work in the area of microelectronics reliability. IRPS seeks to understand the reliability of semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, and microelectronic assemblies through an improved understanding of both the physics of failure as well as the application environment. 

This work presents electromigration (EM) silicon data from realistic power grid device-under-tests (DUT). Power grids featuring logic gate equivalent quasi-load cells were generated by an automatic place-and-route tool to compare the EM failure location and lifetime behaviors. IR drop shifts and voiding location trends inside the grids were measured.

Electromigration Test Chip Experiments From Realistic Power Grid Structures: Failure Trend Comparison and Statistical Analysis

For the first time, we characterize the advanced Black Diamond(R) low-k dielectric and develop a physical model of time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB). We use the developed model to explain underlying physical mechanisms responsible for the lifetime degradation from the various integration steps.

Characterization and multiscale modeling of TDDB in state-of-the-art BEOL

Determination of void nucleation from electromigration-induced critical stresses is a complex endeavor. In this study, we propose a combination of single link electromigration testing, augmented by large scale statistical evaluations, and physics-based simulations to extract the critical stresses. The calibration efforts lead to well-matched values of physical parameters such as effective diffusivity Deff, charge number Z*, and effective modulus B, and improve reliability assessments of early nucleation mechanisms down to the 4-sigma level.

A Novel Method for the Determination of Electromigration-Induced Void Nucleation Stresses

Non-destructive failure analysis is often limited to optical methods, which cannot provide the resolution necessary for analyzing state-of-the-art integrated circuits. Here, we present a powerful method based on scanning a single Nitrogen Vacancy center over the sample. This results in quantitative current density maps with high sensitivity and sub-50 nm resolution, detecting for example, open and short circuits. We demonstrate the technology by mapping current flow in a maze of 30 nm wide wires.

Scanning NV Microscopy – Tracing Currents at the Nanometer Scale

In the semiconductor industry, enhancing the hardness of SiO x is an important issue. Previous studies have focused on the oxygen content dependence of hardness only in a limited region close to x = 2, where the hardness generally increases with increasing x. However, our exploration of SiO x revealed a different path to increase hardness: within the subregion 0 &lt; x &lt; 1.2, reducing the oxygen content led to an increase in SiO x hardness.

The Enhancement Mechanisms of SiOx Hardness via Manipulation of Oxygen Content

SRAM SER measurements show a decrease in per-bit susceptibility at the 3-nm FinFET process compared to 5-nm, contrary to the 7-nm to 5-nm trend. Robust data across various supply voltages demonstrates pronounced exponential bias influence on 3-nm FinFET SRAM SER, distinguishing it from earlier processes. Simulation and modeling attribute these trends to Q crit and Q coll variations.

Scaling Trends and Bias Dependence of SRAM SER from 16-nm to 3-nm FinFET

Total ionizing dose (TID) irradiation induced charge trapping and reliability are investigated in 3D sequential integrated (3DSI) devices and ICs. Strong, bias-dependent layer-to-layer coupling of TID response is observed. Ring oscillator (RO) response is consistent with the respective transistor responses in the upper and lower layers of the device structures. Circuit simulations reinforce the relative importance of transconductance degradation in pull-up pMOSFETs to the TID response of these ROs.

Charge Trapping in Irradiated 3D Devices and ICs

We evaluate the soft error rate (SER) in 18 nm FDSOI-planar SRAM and investigate the scaling trend of SER in FDSOI-planar. Our findings demonstrate that the SER in 18 nm FDSOI-planar is significantly lower than that of 28 nm FDSOI-planar. The total SER (aSER + nSER) in SRAM of 18 nm FDSOI-planar is lower than all the bulk-planar and bulk-FinFET technologies. We also examine the temperature dependence of SER in FDSOI-planar.

Comprehensive Study of SER in FDSOI-Planar: 28 nm to 18 nm Scaling Effect and Temperature Dependence

This interdisciplinary study explores LED device stability in extreme saline environments. Using machine vision and AI recognition, it monitors LED degradation, providing early warnings for maintenance. The research identifies material changes and offers solutions applicable in consumer electronics and maritime industrial settings.

Machine Vision Observation, Artificial Intelligence Pattern Recognition, Protective Circuit Design, Material Characterizations, and Nanostructural Analysis for Investigating InGaN Green Light Emitting Diode Degradation in a Saline Environment

This paper investigates the alpha- and neutron-induced soft error rate (SER) in SRAMs manufactured with 3 nm bulk gate-all-around (bulk-GAA) process technology. The SER in SRAM of bulk-GAA is maximally 1.56X higher than in the same cell-size SRAM of bulk-FinFET. Moreover, shrinking cell size decreases the SER by a maximum of 0.38X in bulk-GAA. The SER of the minimum-size SRAM in bulk-GAA is lower than in bulk-FinFET.

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Laboratory X-Ray-Assisted Device Alteration for Fault Isolation and Post-Silicon Debug

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Electromigration Test Chip Experiments From Realistic Power Grid Structures: Failure Trend Comparison and Statistical Analysis

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