Method for testing performance of electronic component in in-situ electron microscope

Abstract

The invention provides a method for testing the performance of an electronic component in an in-situ electron microscope. The method comprises the following steps: emitting a detection electron beam to an electronic component, and collecting current and voltage signals among terminals of the electronic component; and in the process of testing the performance of the electronic component, applying a reverse signal to the electronic component according to the acquired electrical signal or superposing the acquired electrical signal in a test result so as to counteract the influence of the electron beam on the electrical performance of the electronic component. According to the method, the detection electron beam is emitted to the electronic component before the test, parasitic current and voltage signals generated by the test and collected among the terminals of the electronic component are recorded, and the parasitic signals are offset in the actual test process, so that the test precision is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of testing technology, and in particular to a method for testing the performance of electronic components in an in-situ electron microscope. Background Art

[0002] Microstructural analysis can be performed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. With these methods, the lattice structure and defects of transistors can be examined.

[0003] Since electron microscopes, including scanning electron microscopes and transmission electron microscopes, have excellent spatial resolution and high-sensitivity elemental analysis capabilities, as well as high-throughput, high-resolution characterization and dynamic observation capabilities, they can be used with high-end FIB systems to prepare and observe ultra-thin samples with a thickness of less than 20nm. Therefore, they can be widely used in the evaluation of interface details and chemical distribution of transistors, key dimension measurement, structural material characterization, and crystal structure analysis. The in-situ electron microscopy technology that has emerged in recent years can successfully introduce external electrical signals into the electron microscope, so that electric field signals can be applied to nano-sized transistors and other devices inside the electron microscope, thereby realizing real-time online observation of devices under external field signals. It is one of the most promising fields in the field of microelectronic device structural characterization.

[0004] However, in the process of detecting transistor structure and defects, electron microscopes need to apply a detection electron beam to the transistor under test, which may cause additional current inside the transistor under test or other electronic components, which will lead to errors in in-situ electrical testing experiments. Therefore, how to avoid this error is a problem that the existing technology needs to solve. Summary of the invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for testing the performance of electronic components using an in-situ electron microscope, which can reduce the error caused by the electron microscope needing to emit an electron beam to the transistor being tested during the process of detecting the structure and defects of the transistor, and improve the test accuracy of the in-situ electrical experiment.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for testing the performance of electronic components in an in-situ electron microscope, comprising: emitting a detection electron beam to the electronic component, and collecting current and voltage signals between the terminals of the electronic component; in the process of testing the performance of the electronic component, applying a reverse signal to the electronic component according to the collected electrical signal or superimposing the collected electrical signal in the test result, so as to offset the influence of the electron beam on the electrical performance of the electronic component.

[0007] The present invention records parasitic current and voltage signals generated by the test between the terminals of the electronic components by emitting a detection electron beam to the electronic components before the test, and cancels the parasitic signals during the actual test process, thereby improving the test accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Attached Figure 1 Shown is a schematic diagram of the implementation steps of a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Attached Figure 2 Shown is a schematic diagram of a related test structure of a specific implementation manner of the present invention.

[0010] Attached Figure 3 Shown is a schematic diagram of a related test structure of a specific implementation manner of the present invention.

[0011] Attached Figure 4 Shown is a schematic diagram of a related test structure of a specific implementation manner of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following is a detailed description of a specific implementation of a method for testing the performance of electronic components in an in-situ electron microscope provided by the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0013] Attached Figure 1 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the implementation steps of a specific embodiment of the present invention, including: step S10, emitting a detection electron beam to the electronic component, and collecting current and voltage signals between the terminals of the electronic component; and step S11, in the process of testing the performance of the electronic component, applying a reverse signal to the electronic component according to the collected electrical signal or deducting the collected electrical signal from the test result, so as to offset the influence of the electron beam on the electrical performance of the electronic component.

[0014] The electron microscope is selected from one of a transmission electron microscope and a scanning electron microscope. In this specific embodiment, it is a transmission electron microscope. The above two microscopes are common microscopes that use electron beams as imaging means. Emitting electron beams to electronic components will affect the electrical behavior characteristics of the electronic components, so it is necessary to use the method described in this specific embodiment to correct it. In other specific embodiments, any microscope that uses an electron beam as an imaging means should be regarded as included in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the electronic component is a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, and the terminal includes a source, a drain, and a gate. Figure 2The structure diagram of the above-mentioned specific embodiment is shown. The metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor on the surface of the first substrate 20 includes a source 21, a drain 22 and a gate 23, and a gate dielectric layer 24 is between the gate 23 and the first substrate 20. The above structure is a basic metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor structure diagram. The direction of the electron beam is for illustration only, and the actual electron beam should be injected or ejected perpendicular to the paper surface.

[0016] Referring to step S10, a detection electron beam is emitted to the electronic component, and current and voltage signals are collected between the terminals of the electronic component. When the above structure is irradiated with an electron beam, the phenomena that may occur include a parasitic voltage Vgs between the gate 23 and the source 21 (or the drain 22), and a parasitic current Ids between the source 21 and the drain 22. In this specific embodiment, a voltage signal can be collected between the gate 23 and the source 21 (or the drain 22), and a current signal can be collected between the source 21 and the drain 22. In other specific embodiments, more parasitic electrical signals can be discovered through detection, or for more complex multi-terminal transistors, such as SOI-based transistors with back gates or multi-gate fin-gate transistors, more parasitic electrical signals can be discovered and recorded by monitoring the electrical signals of each port.

[0017] Referring to step S11, in the process of testing the performance of the transistor using an in-situ electrical microscope, a reverse signal is applied to the electronic component according to the collected electrical signal to offset the influence of the electron beam on the electrical performance of the electronic component. In the previous step, the voltage signal Vgs is collected between the gate 23 and the source 21 (or the drain 22), and the current signal Ids is collected between the source 21 and the drain 22. In this step, a reverse signal can be applied to the electronic component according to the collected electrical signal, that is, Vgs is subtracted when the gate is biased, and Ids is subtracted when the current signal is collected between the source 21 and the drain 22, so as to correct the test result. In other specific embodiments, if more ports have been found to have parasitic electrical signals through detection, the test results should also be corrected by adding reverse signals to the corresponding ports.

[0018] In the above steps, the step of emitting a detection electron beam to the electronic components in step S10 can also be repeatedly implemented, emitting electron beams to different parts of the electronic components each time, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively. For example, when the transmission electron microscope focuses on observing the structure of the gate dielectric layer 24, the parasitic voltage Vgs between the gate 23 and the source 21 (or the drain 22) may increase significantly, while the parasitic current Ids between the source 21 and the drain 22 will decrease relatively. On the contrary, when the transmission electron microscope focuses on observing the doping of the source 21 or the drain, the parasitic voltage Vgs between the gate 23 and the source 21 (or the drain 22) may decrease significantly, while the parasitic current Ids between the source 21 and the drain 22 will increase relatively. This requires calibrating the size of the parasitic signal according to different situations, and adding different reverse correction signals according to the calibration structure during observation.

[0019] In the above steps, the step of emitting a detection electron beam to the electronic components in step S10 may also include emitting electron beams of different intensities to the electronic components, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively. When the transmission electron microscope performs different types of detection projects, the intensity of the emitted electron beam is different. Obviously, the parasitic signal intensity caused by different electron beams is different, so it is also necessary to calibrate it. This step can also be combined with the aforementioned step of emitting electron beams to different parts of the electronic components each time, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively, to obtain more accurate test results.

[0020] As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the electronic component is a bipolar transistor, and the terminals include a base, an emitter, and a collector. Figure 3 The figure is a schematic diagram of the structure of the above specific embodiment, wherein the bipolar transistor comprises a base 31, an emitter 32, and a collector 33. The above structure is a schematic diagram of the basic bipolar transistor structure.

[0021] Referring to step S10, a detection electron beam is emitted to the electronic component, and current and voltage signals are collected between the terminals of the electronic component. When the above structure is irradiated with an electron beam, the phenomenon that may occur includes a parasitic current signal between any two electrodes of the base 31, the emitter 32, and the collector 33. In this specific embodiment, the above current signal is collected. In other specific embodiments, more parasitic electrical signals can be discovered by detection, or for more complex multi-terminal transistors, more parasitic electrical signals can be discovered and recorded by monitoring the electrical signals of each port.

[0022] Referring to step S11, in the process of testing the performance of electronic components, a reverse signal is applied to the electronic components according to the collected electrical signal, or the collected electrical signal is deducted from the test result to offset the influence of the electron beam on the electrical performance of the electronic components. In the previous step, the parasitic current signal between any two electrodes of the base 31, the emitter 32, and the collector 33 is collected. In this step, a reverse signal can be applied to the bipolar transistor according to the collected electrical signal, or the parasitic current can be deducted when calculating the output current to correct the test result.

[0023] In the above steps, the step of emitting a detection electron beam to the electronic component in step S10 can also be repeatedly implemented, emitting electron beams to different parts of the electronic component each time, for example, emitting electron beams to the base 31, the emitter 32, and the collector 33, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively. It can also include emitting electron beams of different intensities to the electronic component, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively. It can also be combined with the aforementioned step of emitting electron beams to different parts of the electronic component each time, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively, to obtain more accurate test results.

[0024] As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the electronic component is a capacitor, and the terminal includes an upper plate and a lower plate. Figure 4 The structure diagram of the above specific embodiment is shown, and the capacitor includes a second substrate 40 and an upper plate 41, a lower plate 42 on the surface of the second substrate 40, and a dielectric layer 43 between the upper and lower plates. The above structure is a basic capacitor structure diagram.

[0025] Referring to step S10, a detection electron beam is emitted to the electronic components, and current and voltage signals are collected between the terminals of the electronic components. When the above structure is irradiated with an electron beam, the phenomena that may occur include parasitic voltage signals caused by the accumulation of carriers between the upper plate 41 and the lower plate 42, and parasitic current signals caused by leakage between the upper plate 41 and the lower plate 42 due to the breakdown of the dielectric layer 43. In this specific embodiment, the above voltage and current signals are collected. In other specific embodiments, more parasitic electrical signals can also be discovered through detection.

[0026] Referring to step S11, in the process of testing the performance of electronic components, a reverse signal is applied to the electronic components according to the collected electrical signal, or the collected electrical signal is deducted from the test result to offset the influence of the electron beam on the electrical performance of the electronic components. In the previous step, the parasitic voltage signal caused by the accumulation of carriers between the upper plate 41 and the lower plate 42, and the parasitic current signal caused by the leakage between the upper plate 41 and the lower plate 42 caused by the breakdown of the dielectric layer 43 are collected. In this step, a reverse signal can be applied to the capacitor according to the voltage signal during the test according to the collected electrical signal, or the parasitic current can be superimposed when calculating the parasitic current to correct the test result.

[0027] In the above steps, the step of emitting a detection electron beam to the electronic components in step S10 can also be repeatedly implemented, emitting electron beams to different parts of the electronic components each time, for example, emitting electron beams to the upper plate 41, the lower plate 42, and the dielectric layer 43, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively. It can also include emitting electron beams of different intensities to the electronic components, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively. It can also be combined with the aforementioned steps of emitting electron beams to different parts of the electronic components each time, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively, to obtain more accurate test results.

[0028] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that ordinary technicians in this technical field can make several improvements and modifications without departing from the principle of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for testing the performance of electronic components in an in-situ electron microscope, characterized in that: include: Emitting a detection electron beam to the electronic component and collecting current and voltage signals between the terminals of the electronic component; In the process of testing the performance of the electronic components, a reverse signal is applied to the electronic components according to the collected electrical signals or the collected electrical signals are superimposed on the test results to offset the influence of the electron beam on the electrical performance of the electronic components.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The electronic component is a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, and the terminals include a source, a drain, and a gate.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The electronic component is a bipolar transistor, and the terminals include a base, an emitter, and a collector.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electronic component is a capacitor, and the terminal includes an upper plate and a lower plate.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The electron microscope is selected from a transmission electron microscope and a scanning electron microscope.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The emitting the detection electron beam to the electronic component includes emitting the electron beam to multiple parts of the electronic component respectively, and collecting corresponding current and voltage signals respectively.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The transmitting of the detection electron beam to the electronic components includes transmitting electron beams of different intensities to the electronic components and respectively collecting corresponding current and voltage signals.

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