Device Leakage Investigation Using Fluorescent Microthermography

We report an investigation of the buffer leakages on VLSI devices using a fundamentally new thermal imager based on the fluorescence of Europium Thenoyltrifluoroacetonate. The use of the imager greatly facilitates the task of finding the spots of high leakage current and simplifies the follow-up analysis work for the identification of device defects. Correlation between the defects and the current-voltage characteristics of the buffer circuits has been found. This correlation and the origins of the defects are discussed.