Device Simulation and Backside Laser Interferometry ― Powerful Tools for ESD Protection Development

摘要

For the development of ESD protection concepts a precise understanding of the behaviour of the active devices and possible protection elements under ESD stress is inevitable. Methods are required which can give information about physical relevant parameters. Today, ESD device simulation has been proven to be a powerful tool for the ESD engineer with which a large variety of physical parameters under ESD stress can be deduced. By means of 2D and 3D device simulation, the high current characteristic of active elements and protection elements can nicely be reproduced. Therefore, based on well-calibrated doping profiles, ESD protection concepts can be deduced from device simulation in a phase where no silicon is available. Backside laser interferometry (BLI) can give experimental access to such important parameters as carrier concentration and temperature during an ESD pulse. With BLI a 2D thermal mapping of a device or even of large complex protection circuits can be done easily. ESD device simulation and BLI can be used very successfully as complementary methodologies during the different phases of the ESD protection concept development.