Design based failure analysis and yield improvement in CMOS-circuits

In this paper we show that defect simulation is a basis for yield enhancement strategies. These strategies involve identification of the yield detractors (i.e. identification of spot defect characteristics) and yield oriented layout design, which uses information about defects. Information about key yield detractors can be obtained in a time and cost efficient manner using defect simulation. By comparison of process variants and of SRAMs with different layouts, the sensitivity of the method for process changes as well as for design differences is illustrated. This leads to the conclusion that the defect and yield simulation tools can be used for yield oriented design. The enormous cost and time savings demonstrated in this work give a signal to enforce the introduction of design based failure simulation methods into the yield learning process.     

Crystallization kinetics,mineralization and crack propagation in partially crystallized bioactive glass 45S5

Thermal treatment of bioactive glass ceramics dictates many important features such as microstructure, degree of crystallinity, mechanical properties, and biological response. This report investigates the heat treating conditions and the Avrami crystallization kinetics of melt cast bioactive glass 45S5 at 680 °C. Glass discs were found to follow three dimensional bulk crystallization kinetics (Avrami exponent n = 3). Partially crystallized bioactive glass samples were subjected to in vitro immersion testing to assist a comparative study of the adhesion capabilities of the mineralized layer formed on crystalline and amorphous regions. Higher adhesion of the mineralized layer to the amorphous region was observed as compared to its crystalline counterpart. Furthermore, Palmqvist crack propagation in amorphous and partially crystallized bioactive glass was studied. The crack paths in amorphous bioactive glass were straight, yet crack deflections were observed in the crystalline regions, likely attributed to different crystallographic orientations of crystals or residual thermal mismatch strains present in the bioglass ceramic. Hence, the mineralized layer interfacial fracture toughness and bulk fracture toughness of bioglass ceramics are different from their amorphous counterpart.     

Yield-oriented computer-aided defect diagnosis

Any good yield-oriented defect strategy must have two main components-(a) the ability to perform rapid defect diagnosis for yield learning, and (b) the ability to efficiently extract defect parameters from the manufacturing line. In this work, an inductive fault analysis (IFA)-based defect methodology is investigated to see if it meets the above requirements. Using an SRAM test vehicle as an example, the research analyzes whether computer-generated mappings between defect types and tester fail data can provide sufficient resolution for both, defect diagnosis and defect parameter characterization     

Application of defect simulation as a tool for more efficient failure analysis

In modern VLSI processes, increasing process complexity has resulted in an exponential rise in the costs of thorough failure analysis. In this paper, we present a defect simulation-based failure analysis methodology, which can be used to significantly reduce both costs and turn-around time for failure analyses. The methodology is based on the ability to generate a defect dictionary, which can relate defect characteristics to some easily measurable symptoms of defect occurrence.     

Fluorescent labeling of cysteine 39 on Escherichia coli primase places the dye near an active site

Cysteine 39 of Escherichia coli primase is the most chemically reactive cysteine. Its high chemical reactivity is likely due to its proximity to primase's zinc, which is probably ligated to the adjacent residues 40-62. The zinc may stabilize the deprotonated form of cysteine 39 to make it chemically reactive. Primase is rapidly, site-specifically modified by fluorescein maleimide (FM) at this cysteine. Modification with FM at this residue does not lead to any activity loss in a coupled RNA/DNA synthesis assay, indicating that it is not a catalytically essential residue. In contrast, iodoacetamidefluorescein (IAF) modifies cysteine 39 more slowly and stoichiometrically inhibits activity. It was not clear why these two similar fluorescent dyes should have such different inhibitory effects when attached to the same cysteine. The IAF inhibition must be due to some property of the link between the fluorescein and the cysteine because that is how it differs from FM. The pKa's of the fluoresceins from both FM- and IAF-modified primase are strongly shifted to lower values (approximately 5.4) compared to free fluorescein. These results strongly suggest that the deprotonated form of the fluoresceins are stabilized on primase by a strong interaction with the adjacent zinc in the zinc finger motif. The ability to place a noninhibitory FM at this site will be of great assistance in fluorescence energy transfer studies since the distances established to cysteine 39 will reflect the distance to the essential zinc finger motif.     

Critical area analysis for design-based yield improvement of vlsi circuits

Yield improvements can be achieved by both contamination control (manufacturing) and defect sensitivity decrease (design). In this paper, the need for critical area analysis is demonstrated for design based yield prediction and improvement. Experimental results for a typical CMOS process are provided.     

Efficient removal of spores from skim milk using cold microfiltration: Spore size and surface property considerations

Bacterial spores present in milk can cause quality and shelf-life issues for dairy products. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of microfiltration (MF) in removing Bacillus licheniformis and Geobacillus sp. spores from skim milk using membranes with pore sizes of 1.4 and 1.2 µm, and to investigate the role of spore surface properties in MF removal. Cell sizes were determined by scanning electron microscopy, surface charge by zeta potential analysis, and surface hydrophobicity by contact angle measurements. Commercially pasteurized skim milk was inoculated with a spore suspension at about 10⁶ cfu/mL, and then processed by MF using ceramic membranes at 6°C, a cross-flow velocity of 4.1 m/s, and transmembrane pressure of 69 to 74 kPa. Total aerobic plate and spore counts in the milk were determined before and after MF. All processing runs and surface and product analyses were conducted in triplicate, and data were analyzed statistically. For the same strain, spores were shorter and wider than vegetative cells, averaging 1.37 to 1.59 µm in length and 0.64 to 0.81 µm in width. Reduction of B. licheniformis spores significantly increased with a reduction in MF pore size, from 2.17 log for 1.4-µm pore size, to 4.57 log for 1.2-µm pore size. Both pore sizes resulted in almost complete removal of Geobacillus sp. spores. All spores and the ceramic membrane had a negative surface charge at milk pH, indicating an electrostatic repulsion between them. Bacillus licheniformis spores were hydrophilic, whereas Geobacillus sp. spores were hydrophobic. Consequently, Geobacillus sp. spores had a tendency to cluster in skim milk, preventing their passage even through the 1.4-µm MF membrane, whereas some B. licheniformis spores could still pass through a 1.2-µm membrane. This study demonstrates that efficient removal of spores from skim milk by cold MF may require a smaller membrane pore size than required for removal of vegetative cells of the same species, and that cell surface properties may interfere with the outcome of filtration as would be anticipated based on size alone.     

A gender approach to work ability and its relationship to professional and domestic work hours among nursing personnel

The association between working hours and work ability was examined in a cross-sectional study of male (N=156) and female (N=1092) nurses in three public hospitals. Working hours were considered in terms of their professional and domestic hours per week and their combined impact; total work load. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between total work load and inadequate work ability index (WAI) for females only. Females reported a higher proportion of inadequate WAI, fewer professional work hours but longer domestic work hours. There were no significant differences in total work load by gender. The combination of professional and domestic work hours in females seemed to best explain their lower work ability. The findings suggest that investigations into female well-being need to consider their total work load. Our male sample may have lacked sufficient power to detect a relationship between working hours and work ability.     

AI Decision Making with Dignity? Contrasting Workers’ Justice Perceptions of Human and AI Decision Making in a Human Resource Management Context

Information Systems Frontiers - Using artificial intelligence (AI) to make decisions in human resource management (HRM) raises questions of how fair employees perceive these decisions to be and...