Electron beam damage of advanced silicon bipolar transistors and circuits

The effect of the irradiation of modern bipolar transistors with energetic electrons (5 to 30 KeV) is investigated. The range of energies corresponds to those used for electron-beam lithography and testing. The transistors used for this study were deep-trench-isolated, self-aligned, double-polysilicon, n-p-n bipolar transistors, processed with one level of metal. The physical mechanism is decribed, and dose-energy sensitivities are established. The requirements for annealing the damage are determined.