Workflows for Resolving Compound Semiconductor Defectivity

Semiconductor electrical failure analysis and semiconductor physical failure analysis

For semiconductor designers, a combination of electrical failure analysis (EFA) and physical failure analysis (PFA) can lead to a deeper understanding of fault mechanisms, which can ultimately lead to improved manufacturing yields along with enhanced operational performance and reliability. Thermo Fisher Scientific offers advanced analytical tools for fast EFA and PFA. When combined into a complete EFA-to-PFA workflow, these tools allow you to localize and characterize subtle electrical issues in wide bandgap materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC).

Wide bandgap power devices

Wide bandgap power devices are well-suited for demanding applications, such as EVs that require high power, or Internet of Things (IoT) designs that need exceptionally long battery life. Unfortunately, wide bandgap materials such as GaN and SiC can be vulnerable to atomic scale defects during epitaxial growth that impact reliability and functionality. To root-cause and understand failure mechanisms in wideband gap devices, a new approach is needed to overcome the deficiencies of traditional methods.

MOSFET failure analysis

When used in combination, the strengths of EFA and PFA enable rapid localization, isolation, and visualization of electrical and physical faults. From our work with power-device manufacturers, we have developed a four-part workflow that progresses from EFA to PFA: coarse fault isolation, sample preparation, fine fault isolation, and imaging and analysis.

To learn more about this workflow, and how to reduce wide bandgap device failure, download the “Transforming failure analysis of wide bandgap power MOS devices” application note below.

MOSFET failure analysis tools from Thermo Fisher Scientific

• Thermo Scientific ELITE System
• Thermo Scientific Helios 5 DualBeam
• Thermo Scientific Helios 5 PFIB DualBeam
• Thermo Scientific Hyperion II System
• Thermo Scientific nProber IV System
• Thermo Scientific NEXS Software

Please complete the form below to receive your copy of the presentation, “New workflows for resolving compound semiconductor defectivity issues using destructive and non-destructive electron microscopy techniques.”