Heiko Stegmann

The requirements to sample preparation for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using combined scanning electron microscope – focused ion beam instruments (FIB-SEM) in semiconductor manufacturing support, process development and failure analysis are becoming increasingly stringent. Lamellas need to be thinner, larger, of better quality, and be produced at higher throughput. To name just a few drivers: For logic nodes, routine preparation of lamellas with a thickness of ≤ 20 nm at an endpoint accuracy of 2 nm has become essential. DRAM lamella requirements are approaching ≤ 10 nm thickness over 0.5 to 1.0 µm2 areas. 3D NAND will require lamellas that are several tens of micrometers tall.
To address these requirements, ZEISS has introduced Crossbeam 750, a FIB-SEM highly optimized for the most demanding lamella preparation tasks. We will present physical limits and practical problems in FIB lamella prep, their consequential requirements to instrumentation, solution approaches and their shortcomings. Furthermore, we will introduce the new features of Crossbeam 750 that allow high resolution continuous SEM control of lamella thinning and endpointing even at lowest FIB energies.

Physics studies and doctorate on biophysical TEM applications at the University of Heidelberg. Post-doc in 3D TEM of motor proteins at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research. Senior Materials Analyst at AMD Saxony, working on physical failure analysis and process development support, as well as TEM characterization method development. Since 2004, application expert and advisor at Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH with emphasis on characterization of nanostructures for failure analysis and manufacturing process development, using techniques such as SEM, FIB, STEM, EDX, FIB-SIMS, and working on their continuous improvement.

Peter Gnauck

Advanced semiconductor devices require nanoscale chemical analysis beyond the limits of EDS. IONMASTER’s magnetic sector SIMS delivers hyperspectral imaging with <20 nm resolution and high ion transmission efficiency, enabling precise detection of trace elements and isotopes in complex 3D structures. Automated ROI localization using GDS – and KLARF based navigation ensures accurate targeting of buried and low contrast features while reducing operator dependency. High sensitivity depth profiling achieves nanometer level repeatability, supporting reliable process control. Application examples include isotopic mapping within CMOS stacks, identification of Na residues in vias invisible to SE imaging, and 3D reconstruction of subsurface contamination. Automated SIMS inspection thus provides the resolution, sensitivity, and workflow efficiency required for modern failure analysis and semiconductor metrology.

Dr. Peter Gnauck earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Tübingen in 2000. He worked at Carl Zeiss Microscopy for over two decades in various roles, specializing in electron microscopy and focused ion beam (FIB) technology. He then joined KLA as a Product Marketing Manager for e-Beam overlay. Since 2024, he has been serving as Global Business Development Manager for FIB/SEM systems at Raith GmbH.

Frederick Wellstood

We describe a magnetic inverse that can extract a 3D current path from a magnetic field image of the path. To evaluate performance, we processed hundreds of simulated images with accurately known parameters and examined a few real images for comparison. The simulated images were built with 1-10 segments that could meander between 1-3 layers. Segments were aligned along the x or y directions, or 45 degrees to x and y. Some images had a small overall rotation. Each image had random noise with a standard deviation of 0.1 nT and some images included random position errors with a standard deviation of 0.1 micron (typical for MAGMA SQUID microscope). Typical path and image parameters were sample-sensor separations z between 0.02 and 1 mm, segment lengths between 0.05 and 2 mm, and current between 0.1 and 2 mA. We find that the vertical and lateral resolution are comparable, proportional to the depth z of the current path, and inversely proportional to the total signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of the image. For high enough S/N, the vertical and lateral resolution was typically better than z/1000, implying sub-micron vertical and lateral localization of circuit paths out to depths z ~ 1 mm.

Frederick C. Wellstood is currently a MAGMA Fellow at Neocera, a Prof. Emeritus in the Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, and an Emeritus Fellow in the Joint Quantum Institute at the University of Maryland and NIST. He received his Ph.D. in Physics in 1988 at the University of California, Berkeley, California, with a thesis titled “Excess Noise in the dc SQUID; 4.2 K to 20 mK”, which was directed by 2026 Nobel Laureate Professor John Clarke. While at Maryland, some of his research has involved developing scanning SQUID microscopes and conducting research on quantum computation using phase qubits.

Marvin Holten

The transition to advanced 3D integrated circuits and system-in-package designs is creating major challenges for fault detection, yield optimisation, and process understanding. Existing inspection and failure-analysis methods often cannot provide the non-invasive, depth-resolved electrical information needed to study complex current paths and buried faults in these architectures.

We are developing a Quantum Diamond Magnetic Microscope based on NV-diamond sensors for real-time magnetic imaging of integrated circuits. Our goal is to enable non-invasive 3D current mapping with sub-micron resolution, high sensitivity, and high acquisition speed, beyond the limits of conventional inspection tools and current wide-field quantum sensing systems.

We have built first laboratory prototypes and demonstrated targeted single-pixel sensitivities of 5–10 nT/√Hz. In the talk, I will present the system concept, discuss the current prototype status, and show first measurement results on test structures and semiconductor samples. I will also outline the remaining engineering steps toward a robust instrument for semiconductor metrology and failure analysis.

Marvin Holten is CTO and co-founder of DiaSense, a quantum sensing startup founded in 2024. DiaSense develops NV-diamond quantum magnetic microscopes for neuroscience, semiconductor manufacturing, and materials science. He earned a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Heidelberg, where he studied superfluidity and many-body systems, and later worked at TU Wien on quantum computing nodes based on neutral atoms and optical cavities. His expertise includes quantum technologies, advanced optical systems, and quantum computing and simulation with ultracold atoms.

Letian Li

Ultra-thin, precisely targeted lamella preparation on advanced IC devices has traditionally been considered a Ga-FIB application. However, recent advances in semiconductor processing now require gallium-free lamella preparation, particularly at the latest technology nodes. In this study, we demonstrate how high-quality, on-target lamellae can be successfully prepared using Multi-ion species plasma FIB, meeting the demands of advanced device analysis without introducing Gallium into the system. The talk will focusing on procedures to make the lamella as well as qualifying the final result with TEM.

Letian Li is a semiconductor and materials science professional at Thermo Fisher Scientific, with more than 10 years of experience across technical and commercial roles. He currently serves as a Senior Product Specialist in Semiconductors, based in Eindhoven. Previously, he worked as Market Development Manager for Batteries and as a Senior Application Specialist, focusing on product demonstrations, application development, and customer training. Letian began his career at FEI Company as an Applications Engineer. He holds a PhD and MSc in Materials Engineering from Loughborough University.

Markus Pfeiffer

This presentation introduces Electro-Optic Terahertz Pulse Reflectometry (EOTPR) as a non-destructive method for the localization of electrical opens and shorts within semiconductor device packages. EOTPR operates by generating a short electrical pulse, injecting it into the device, and analyzing the time-dependent reflection patterns to locate interruptions. This technique is effective for determining both the presence and position of package failures.
In this presentation, we show application examples for localizing opens in various packages: complex BGA package, flex circuit board, D2PAK power package, and a power module for electromobility.
Together with the University of Stuttgart we investigated the D2PAK power package deeper concerning the amount of open bond wires. By using a principal component analysis we were able to distinguish, if one, two or three bond wires contribute to the electrical dysfunctionality.
For the EOTPR analysis, it is necessary to work with references. For this, electrical opens often have to be prepared inside the package. This is done, for example, by removing the mold compound, subsequently cutting traces or bond wires, and then resealing packages.

Markus Pfeiffer earned his diploma in physics from the University of Stuttgart in 2008. He completed his PhD in 2013 at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research and the University of Stuttgart, working in the field of ultrafast nano-optics. Until 2018, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the nano-optics group of the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the University of Cologne. In 2019, he joined Bosch Mobility Electronics as an engineer for failure analyses.

René Hammer

Nanoprobing imaging equipment for Electron Beam Absorbed Current/Resistive Contrast Imaging (EBAC/RCI) and Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) techniques is widely used in the semiconductor industry for process control and development. As components of electronic devices become smaller, the impact of electron beam irradiation becomes more severe, and the use of low beam acceleration voltages coupled with low beam current is recommended to avoid transistor damage [1-2]. Necessity for lower beam current leads to much reduced nanoprobing imaging signals, and thus lower overall signal-to-noise ratio. In this article, we describe the development of a novel pA noise-level amplifier for RCI and EBIC measurements of high impedance samples. A peak-to-peak noise level of 3 pA is shown here with this new amplifier. We compare experimental performance of this novel low noise amplifier to an established reference amplifier and illustrate the gained benefits and new limits for RCI measurements.

[1] A. Qiu, W. Lowe, M. Arora, Int. Symp. for Testing and Failure Analysis. Vol. 82747 ASM Int. (2019)
[2] Y. Mitsui, T. Sunaoshi, J. C. Lee, Microelectronics Reliability 49.9-11 (2009): 1182-1187

Dr. René Hammer graduated from Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg with a Physics diploma in 2007, and then continued in the Surface Science group as a PhD student and a Post Doc researcher to investigate structural and electronic structure of thin organic films on noble-metal single-crystals, which included low-temperature scanning-tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Dr. René Hammer joined point electronic GmbH in 2016, where he is currently a scientist and Product Manager for Electrical Analysis systems in SEM and TEM, focusing on instrument development and application science in a wide range of fields and industries, including semiconductor, energy and novel nano-devices.