Failure analysis of shallow trench isolated ESD structures

Scanning-electron microscopes and atomic-force microscopes are used to analyze surface and sub-surface ESD-induced failure mechanisms in 0.25- and 0.5-/spl mu/m shallow trench isolated CMOS technology ESD structures and n-channel MOSFETs; ESD failure-mechanism types are characterized and classified; and additional failure-analysis techniques and tools are discussed.