MTF test system with AC based dynamic joule correction for electromigration tests on interconnects

Abstract

For accelerated electromigration tests to be accurately measured and extrapolated, the sample temperature has to remain constant during the entire test. Conventional Median Time to Failure (MTF) test systems take the joule heating into account only at the beginning of the test, which is not sufficient. A solution to this problem was formulated by Scandurra et al. by introducing a DC-current based dynamic joule correction. In this paper, a new test system has been developed which makes use of an AC-current based dynamic joule correction. In this way, no electromigration effects take place during the determination of the thermal resistance. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All-rights-reserved.