BOX breakdown: A novel defect mode in a 14nm SOI FinFET technology

Unpredictable defect modes are predictably common to semiconductor manufacturing. These defects are often hard to detect, require significant innovation to resolve, and have a significant impact on product yield or reliability. Here we present a defect manifesting as an electrostatic breakdown of the buried oxide layer for, a 14nm FinFET technology. Detection, root cause analysis, and resolution is discussed, including process modifications to eliminate the defect.