LARRY RICE

(480)620-3678 llrice@q
.com
SUMMARY
SEM / FIB lab engineer strong in verifying and isolating semiconductor device fa
ilures and physical analysis to determine the root cause of failure. Proven exp
erience in fault isolation, physical / construction analysis, identifying failur
e mechanisms, characterizing manufacturing defects and new semiconductor materia
ls. Areas of expertise include:
Failure Analysis FA Defect Characterization IC Failure Mechanisms
SEM / FIB Lab Equipment Failure isolation techniques Element Identifi
cation
Semiconductor Processing Construction Analysis Patent Infringement
Deprocess / delayer IC Semiconductor etches Chemistry
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
MOTOROLA / FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, Tempe, AZ 1984 – present
Failure Analysis Engineer
2005 – present
• Identified poly stringers on Atlas Ultralight chip-set for automotive applicatio
ns achieving a 30% yield improvement saving Freescale $100M in 1 year. The fail
ure sites were pinpointed using PEM (Photo Emission Microscopy).
• Improved SMOS8 lot yields 25% by discovering tungsten particles from wafer-edge
arching causing metal shorts. The failures were isolated using XIVA (Externally
Induced Voltage Alteration).
• Enabled the MIM (Metal-Insulator-Metal) capacitor team to meet customer qualific
ation date by determining the cause for short lifetime reliability samples were
due to shorts from metal veils. Failures pinpointed with IR (Infrared Imaging).

• Reduced equipment downtime 20% by troubleshooting malfunctions. Responsible for

SEM / FIB (Scanning Electron Microscope / Focused Ion Beam) and sample preparati
on equipment maintenance, performance, and training.
• Performed physical characterization using light microscopes, SEM, FIB, EDS / WDS
(Energy / Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy), AES (Auger Electron Spectroscopy
), and sample preparation equipment.
Principal Staff Engineer 1995-200
5
• Achieved a 40% yield improvement saving $20k / wafer for HiP6 microprocessors us
ed in Apple Computers through bit map failure analysis identifying predominant m
ultiple killer defects.
• Found 30% single bit fails were due to unfilled contacts from photo resist scumm
ing on HiP7 microprocessors improving yields 10%.
• Identified "hollow" tungsten plugs on 0.5um SGF (Split Gate Flash) product resul
ting in a 40% reduction in single / double bit failures.
• Performed preventative maintenance on lab equipment reducing downtime by 15%. L
ead engineer in the SEM / FIB lab responsible for analytical tools and sample pr
eparation equipment training, maintenance, and performance.
• Presented in-house training classes for lab members on principals, operation, an
d data interpretation of SEM, FIB, EDS / WDS, BSE (Backscattered Electron) imagi
ng, voltage contrast / EBIC, semiconductor processing, lab capabilities, and fai
lure mechanisms.
• Characterized RIE (Reactive Ion Etch) and plasma etchers and different wet chemi
cal etches to determine the etch rates for semiconductor films. Documented resu
lts in “Etchants for Common Semiconductor Materials†booklet that was distributed to Fre
escale’s analytical labs globally.
Analytical Lab Engineer 1984-199
5
• Reduced the time-to-market 5 months by Identifying the failure mechanism for MOS
AICIII bipolar technology. The leakage sites were pinpointed using EBIC (Electr
on Beam Induced Current).
• Improved yield 5% for 0.5um BiCMOS product by identifying particles at the gate
oxide process causing gate-to-substrate shorts. Failure sites were located usin
g EBIC.
• Reduced scrap 10% by determining the cause of open vias on MOS microcontrollers
were due to metal step coverage. The via chains were tested using voltage contr
ast.
• Performed SEM preventative maintenance reducing downtime by 15%. Responsible fo
r the operation, performance, maintenance, and training of the SEM lab equipment
.
• Identified metal phases using BSE and EDS microanalysis for new solder bump tech
nologies needed to understand the effects of different solder bump compositions
and thermal treatments on adhesion and electromigration.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Associates of Applied Science, concentration in Physics and Chemistry
Certificate in Physical Electron Microscopy
San Joaquin Delta College, Stockton, CA
light and electron optics engineering materials semiconductor processing
technical writing vacuum technology MOS technology
Semi Devise Physics laser technology metal deposition
dry etch processes TEM sample prep Metallurgical sample pre
p
Low KV FESEM Operation Lab Safety Procedures