Enhanced failure and contamination analysis of challenging microelectronics specimen with optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy

Failure and contamination analysis of small, sub-surface, and complex layers and particles in components represent a major set of common microelectronics and semiconductor issues. The application of O-PTIR spectroscopy analyses provide flexibilities to sample preparation and sensitivity to very thin and very small (less than 10 µm) layers or particles. The normal band shapes offered by the O-PTIR yields high confidence towards accurate unknown identification and process enhancement. Most conveniently, standard sample preparation techniques are compatible with this novel analytical tool for the presented case studies.