Method for prediction of premature dielectric breakdown in a semiconductor

A method for predicting premature dielectric breakdown in a semiconductor, comprising, the steps of:

• calculating at least one dielectric breakdown mode for a semiconductor wafer;
• in response to a single calculated mode, associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with an indication of dielectric breakdown less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode;
• and,
• in response to a plurality of calculated modes, determining the calculated mode of said calculated modes that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer and associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with an indication of dielectric breakdown less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer.

A method for predicting premature dielectric breakdown in a semiconductor, comprising, the steps of:

• monitoring leakage current between a metal line pair in each semiconductor in a representative population of semiconductors on a semiconductor wafer;
• associating any abrupt discontinuity of leakage current with dielectric breakdown for said semiconductors in said representative population;
• correlating a cumulative dielectric breakdown distribution for said semiconductor wafer with a voltage of said semiconductors in said representative population at said abrupt discontinuity;
• calculating at least one mode in a cumulative dielectric breakdown distribution for said semiconductor wafer;
• and,
• in response to a single calculated mode, associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with a breakdown voltage less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode;
• and,
• in response to a plurality of calculated modes, determining the calculated mode of said calculated modes that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer and associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with a breakdown voltage less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

• calculating at least one dielectric breakdown mode for a semiconductor wafer;
• in response to a single calculated mode, associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with a breakdown voltage less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode;
• and,
• in response to a plurality of calculated modes, determining a calculated mode of said calculated modes that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer and associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with a breakdown voltage less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

• calculating at least one dielectric breakdown mode for a semiconductor wafer;
• in response to a single calculated mode, associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with an indication of dielectric breakdown less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode;
• and,
• in response to a plurality of calculated modes, determining the calculated mode of said calculated modes that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer and associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with an indication of dielectric breakdown less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

• monitoring leakage current between a metal line pair in each semiconductor in a representative population of semiconductors on a semiconductor wafer;
• associating any abrupt discontinuity of leakage current with dielectric breakdown for said semiconductors in said representative population;
• correlating a cumulative dielectric breakdown distribution for said semiconductor wafer with a voltage of said semiconductors in said representative population at said abrupt discontinuity;
• calculating at least one mode in a cumulative dielectric breakdown distribution for said semiconductor wafer;
• and,
• in response to a single calculated mode, associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with a breakdown voltage less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode;
• and,
• in response to a plurality of calculated modes, determining the calculated mode of said calculated modes that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer and associating premature dielectric breakdown with any semiconductor with a breakdown voltage less than a predetermined standard deviation of a plurality of breakdown voltages within said calculated mode that most accurately represents dielectric breakdown for said semiconductor wafer.