Use of a scanning electron microscope for screening bipolar surface effects

A method of screening bipolar transistors for total dose surface effects using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is described. This screening technique is implemented by irradiation of a selected pattern of dice on each wafer. The electron-induced damage from the SEM is shown to correlate with equivalent total dose irradiations from a Co⁶⁰ source. It is also shown that the degradation of the selected dice is characteristic of the remaining dice on the wafer.