LOW-FREQUENCY NOISE MEASUREMENTS AS A COMPLEMENTARY TOOL IN THE INVESTIGATION OF INTEGRATED-CIRCUIT RELIABILITY

This paper describes the application of the low-frequency noise measurement technique to two of the main problems concerning the reliability of integrated circuits: the electromigration of metal interconnections and the electrical breakdown of thin silicon dioxide layers. The problems usually found in performing low-frequency noise measurements and the instrumentation required are described, together with the main results obtained. It is shown how, in electromigration experiments, the noise technique allows the evaluation of the activation energy at less severe test conditions than those characteristic of other techniques. In the case of oxide breakdown, the analysis of the low-frequency fluctuations of the current tunneling through the thin oxide layer shows that it is possible to interrupt the test just a few seconds before the breakdown occurs.