Title :
Ultra low noise, PC-based measurement system for the characterization of the metallizations of integrated circuits
Author :
Ciofi, C. ; De Marinis, M. ; Neri, B.
Author_Institution :
Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell´´inf., Pisa Univ., Italy
Abstract :
Low frequency noise measurements have been successfully used in research laboratories for the characterization of electromigration in interconnection lines of integrated circuits. In this paper an ultra-low noise system capable of performing such measurements contemporaneously on a statistically significant number of samples is described. The system, designed with the aim to make advantageous the utilization of the technique also in industrial environment, is controlled by a personal computer and makes available up to 255 independent input channels for noise measurements. A purposely designed ultra-low noise preamplifier and the use of an optical link between the PC and the low noise section, has allowed to obtain a total background noise which is some orders of magnitude lower than that of preexistent instrumentation
Keywords :
VLSI; computerised instrumentation; data acquisition; electric noise measurement; electromigration; integrated circuit measurement; integrated circuit metallisation; integrated circuit testing; microcomputer applications; preamplifiers; PC; electromigration; integrated circuits; interconnection lines; low frequency noise measurement; metallizations; multichannel data acquisition; optical link; personal computer; research laboratories; ultra-low noise preamplifier; Background noise; Electromigration; Frequency measurement; Integrated circuit measurements; Integrated circuit noise; Laboratories; Low-frequency noise; Noise measurement; Optical noise; Working environment noise;
Conference_Titel :
Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference, 1996. IMTC-96. Conference Proceedings. Quality Measurements: The Indispensable Bridge between Theory and Reality., IEEE
Conference_Location :
Brussels
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3312-8
DOI :
10.1109/IMTC.1996.507399
