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This paper demonstrates a breakthrough method of visible laser probing (VLP), including an optimized 577 nm laser microscope, visible-sensitive detector, and an ultimate-resolution gallium phosphide-based solid immersion lens on the 10 nm node, showing a 110 nm resolution. This is 2x better than what is achieved with the standard suite of probing systems using typical infrared (IR) wavelengths today. Since VLP provides a spot diameter reduction of 0.5x over IR methods, it is reasonable, based simply on geometry, to project that VLP using the 577 nm laser will meet the industry needs for laser probing for both the 10 nm and 7 nm process nodes. Based on its high level of optimization, including high resolution and specialized solid immersion lens, it is highly likely that this VLP technology will be one of the last optically-based fault isolation methods successfully used.

We report several cases of two photon absorption (TPA) laser assisted device alteration (LADA) using continuous wave (CW) 1,340 nm laser in Si Complimentary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Integrated Circuits (IC). Two photon absorption using CW 1,340 nm laser in Si was confirmed by photon beam induced photocurrent measurements. TPA LADA showed greater than two times better resolution in critical timing circuit defect localization and debug application, when compared with traditional single photon absorption (SPA) LADA with CW 1,064 nm laser. A simplified analysis on the resolution improvements presented here showed in good agreement with our experimental observations. Further enhancements of this technology are outlined, which we believe will enable this technology for critical timing circuit debug capabilities well into the future generations of Si CMOS Debug applications.

This paper presents the first single element time resolved emission (TRE) data collected from microprocessors fabricated with 0.13 µm process silicon using tester loop lengths, and in many cases acquisition times, comparable to laser voltage probing. The data presented here demonstrate that TRE tools with highly sensitive single element detectors can be used for practical microprocessor circuit diagnostics with reasonable acquisition times.

Liquid immersion lens technology has been applied to internal-node, through-silicon probing of 130 nm integrated circuits. A 100×, 1.3 numerical aperture (NA) objective with 100 μm working distance was specifically designed for this application. An optical resolution of 500 nm is achieved using 1064 nm wavelength light, ≈30% improvement over the standard, air immersion, 0.85 NA lens currently used. Significant improvements in wave form quality were also achieved. A >2× signal to noise ratio improvement is demonstrated on 130 nm technology devices. Probing of 90 nm technology devices indicate that laser voltage probing with liquid immersion lens technology and phase-sensitive detection is extensible to this process node.