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06/08/2025
19EC37E – FUNDAMENTALS OF SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP
TESTING
PRESENTED BY,
[Link] ANAND,
Assistant Professor (Senior Grade)/ ECE,
-National Engineering College, [Link], Kovilpatti.
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“ Manufacturing Defects in Integrated
Circuits (IC)
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Defect: unintended difference between the
implemented HW and its intended design
May or may not cause a system failure
Fault: representation of a defect at the abstracted
Defects, Faults, function level
and Errors
Defect X
Fault
Imperfections in
Imperfections in
the HW
the function
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Error: Manifestation of a fault that results in
incorrect circuit (system) outputs or states
– Caused by faults
Failure: Deviation of a circuit or system from
Defects, Faults, its specified behavior
and Errors – Fails to do what it should do
– Caused by an error
Defect --> Fault ---> Error ---> Failure
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Processing defect: a short of b to ground
Fault: signal b stuck-at logic 0
Example
Error: z has the wrong value if a = b = 1
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Defect: a short to ground
Fault: signal b stuck at logic 0
Example
Error: z has the wrong value if a = b = 1
But, if a = 0, fault exists, but no error!
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Manufacturing Defects are classified into
Global Defects (gross area defects)
Spot Defects
Global Defects: It termed as relatively large-scale defects,
Manufacturing such as scratches from wafer mishandling, large-area defects
from mask misalignment, and over- and under-etching.
Defects Spot Defects: They are random local and small defects from
materials used in the process and from environmental
causes, mostly the result of undesired chemical and airborne
particles deposited on the chip during the various steps of
the process.
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Both defect types contribute to yield loss.
In well-controlled fabrication lines, gross-area defects can
be minimized and also eliminated.
Controlling random spot defects is considerably more
Manufacturing difficult.
Defects The yield loss due to spot defects is much greater than the
yield loss due to global defects.
For large – area integrated circuits, the frequency of global
defects is independent of the die size, whereas the expected
number of spot defects increases with the chip area.
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It is divided into several types according to their
location and they cause potential harm.
Some causing missing patterns which may result
Spot - Defects in open circuits and some others cause extra
patterns that may result in short circuits.
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These spot defects classified into
Intralayer Defects
Interlayer Defects
Intralayer Defects: Occurs due to the particles deposited
during the lithographic process also known as
Photolithographic Defects.
Spot Defects Examples of Intralayer Defects:
Missing Metal Diffusion or
Polysilicon
Extra Metal Diffusion or
Polysilicon
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Interlayer Defects: Missing material in the vias
Between two metal layers or between a metal
layer and polysilicon.
Spot Defects Extra material between the substrate and metal or
between two separate metal layers.
Intralayer Defects occurs due to dust particles.
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Not all spot defects result in structural faults
line breaks or short circuits.
For a defect to cause a fault, it has to be large
enough to connect two disjoint conductors or to
disconnect a continuous pattern.
Spot Defects
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A defect is any imperfection on the wafer, but
only those defects that affect the circuit operation
are called faults
This causes the yield losses.
Defects
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Thank You
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