Surface analysis in microelectronics.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Science
• Microelectronics Engineering

Background:

• Electronic power device manufacturing faces challenges in interfacial chemistry and surface integrity.
• Adhesion issues in plastic packaging, polyimide layers, and die-attach processes impact device reliability.
• Surface erosion and etching defects can compromise device performance and longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the utility of surface analysis in resolving production challenges in electronic power devices.
• To investigate interfacial chemistry problems related to adhesion in various device components.
• To explore the application of surface analytical techniques for detecting and understanding surface degradation.

Main Methods:

• X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) in imaging and multipoint analysis modes.
• Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) for non-destructive evaluation.
• Contact angle, peeling, and tensile strength measurements for assessing surface properties and adhesion.

Main Results:

• Surface analysis successfully optimized resin/metal and resin/die adhesion in plastic packages, improving quality and reliability.
• Adhesion between polyimide and silicon nitride in multilevel technology was investigated and improved.
• The die-attach process and its associated problems were analyzed using surface techniques.
• Surface analytical methods were applied to identify and understand issues related to surface erosion and etching.

Conclusions:

• Surface analysis is crucial for solving interfacial chemistry and adhesion problems in electronic power device manufacturing.
• Techniques like XPS, SIMS, and SAM provide valuable data for optimizing device production and reliability.
• Surface analysis plays a vital role in addressing material degradation and process-related defects in microelectronics.