ABSTRACT
This chapter is a qualitative and quantitative overview of the effects of particles on integrated circuits. It reviews various ways that particles can cause yield loss on integrated circuits. In particular, there are several ways that particles can cause damage that have only recently been recognized as important by particle control technologists. By some of these mechanisms, the circuit may be damaged by particles so small that they were previously thought to be of little concern. Particle-integrated circuit interactions will then be reviewed quantitatively. Basic information on yield models will be presented, along with the effect of nonuniform distributions of defects on the yield model. The probability that a given particle causes a killing defect depends on: interaction mechanism—physical or chemical, size of the particle, and chemical identity of the particle. The quantitative dependence of the yield of integrated circuits on the defect density of the circuit may be described by yield models.
