Abstract: An IC device is packaged for accelerated transient particle emission by doping the underfill thereof with a transient-particle-emitting material having a predetermined, substantially constant emission rate. The emission rate may be tunable. In one aspect, a radioactive adhesive composition is provided for bonding a semiconductor device to a chip carrier. The radioactive adhesive composition is made from a cured reaction product including a resin and a filler, and may be reworkable or non-reworkable. Either the resin or the filler, individually or both together as a mix, are doped substantially uniformly with the transient-particle-emitting material, thereby putting the transient-particle-emitting in close proximity with the IC to be tested. The underfill is formulated to have a stable chemistry, and the doped particles are encapsulated, so as to contain the emissions. Accelerated transient-particle-emission testing may then be performed on the IC in situ to provide accelerated detection of soft errors.

Abstract: Issues that are addressed in accordance with at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, are: improvements upon the time it takes to physically swap degraders (done previously by hand); the safety involved in doing so, since the degraders become highly radioactive; possible improved energy resolution and beam stability if the accelerator can be left running continuously; and in-situ monitoring of beam current, beam position and stability. Particularly contemplated are methods and arrangements for changing degraders automatically, not manually, and in a safe manner.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for accelerated detection of soft error rates (SER) in integrated circuits (IC's) due to transient particle emission. An integrated circuit is packaged for accelerated transient particle emission by doping the underfill thereof with a transient-particle-emitting material having a predetermined emission rate. The emission rate is substantially constant over a predetermined period of time for testing. Accelerated transient-particle-emission testing is performed on the integrated circuit. Single-event upsets due to soft errors are detected, and a quantitative measurement of SER is determined.

Abstract: An integrated circuit, comprising: a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of last metal conductors disposed above said substrate, a bottom metallic layer disposed on said last metal conductors, a top metallic layer, and an alpha absorber disposed between said bottom and top metallic layers, said alpha absorber consisting essentially of a high-purity metal which is an alpha-particle absorber. The metal is, for example, of Ta, W, Re, Os or Ir.

Abstract: A method for integrating a high-k material into CMOS processing schemes is provided. The method includes forming an interfacial oxide, oxynitride and/or nitride layer on a device region of a semiconductor substrate, said interfacial layer having a thickness of less than 10 Å; and (b) forming a high-k dielectric material on said interfacial oxide, oxynitride and/or, nitride layer, said high-k dielectric having a dielectric constant, k, of greater than 8.

Abstract: An integrated circuit, comprising: a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of last metal conductors disposed above said substrate, a bottom metallic layer disposed on said last metal conductors, a top metallic layer, and an alpha absorber disposed between said bottom and top metallic layers, said alpha absorber consisting essentially of a high-purity metal which is an alpha-particle absorber. The metal is, for example, of Ta, W, Re, Os or Ir.