Robotic Microelectronic Planar Serial Sectioning System (21-RD-282)

Due to ongoing reduction in feature dimensions and an increase in structure complexity, device delayering is becoming more and more important in detecting electrical faults as well as other phenomena that contribute to device failure. Damage-free de-processing of single layers is critical, but can also be too time consuming to execute manually for various industrial and R&D applications. Automated optical serial sectioning (as featured in the Robo-Met.3D system) represents an accelerated starting point for the development of a programmable delayering system adaptable to microelectronics needs. The outcome of development is envisioned as a user-programmed, robot-assisted delayering system with a base capability of optical imaging, expandable to an automated SEM workflow with a delayered sample being introduced into an SEM chamber for investigation.