First Silicon Circuit Edit FIB Service

MASER Engineering offers a full front and backsided edit capability using the latest FIB systems. Both conventional aluminium and latest copper based CMOS circuitry can be modified.

IC design groups working on sub 90nm technology devices have increasing difficulty to modify their first silicon devices when changes in the interconnection are necessary. The common FIB assisted modification techniques are facing practical limitations. The CMP copper metallization requires a different approach for etching/milling. The flat polished multilayer metallization also requires a CAD driven stage and other endpoint techniques. Furthermore, the 1st and 2nd metal layers have to be approached from the backside of the die. For CAD navigation purposes, a NIR optical microscope and a nanometer accurate piëzo stage is required for looking through the remaining backside silicon. Finally, the new OptiFIB IV system at MASER Engineering is tooled with new gas chemistry for deposition of new materials like Molybdenum for small conductors and a copper milling technique.