Prospects of Quantum Diamond Microscopy for Semiconductor Devices

Quantum diamond microscopy (QDM) is based on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond and is a promising method for magnetic imaging. Its main advantages are high spatial resolution, high magnetic sensitivity, and a wide field of view, in contrast to scanning approaches. One promising application of QDM is current imaging in semiconductor devices, which is especially relevant due to the increasing complexity of semiconductor technologies. This complexity arises at both chip level, with ever-shrinking fabrication nodes, and at package level, with multi-chip integration. As a result, electrical and failure analysis becomes more challenging, making advanced diagnostic methods critical. QDM is particularly well-suited for these applications because it is non-destructive and allows direct imaging of current distributions in operating devices. Here, we use a commercially available QDM system to study current distributions in microchips. We present measurement results for several commercial microchips. We discuss the potential of QDM for failure localization in semiconductor devices, as well as limitations of the method and strategies to mitigate them.