Apparatus for evaluating thermal and electrical characteristics in a sample
An apparatus is described for evaluating a sample comprising: means for generating a pump beam of radiation; means for intensity modulating the pump beam; means for focusing the pump beam on the sample at a first spot; means for generating a probe beam of radiation; means for focusing said probe beam at a second spot on said sample, said second spot being located within a region which has been periodically exited by the pump beam and being both laterally and vertically displaced from said first spot; means for monitoring the periodic variations in the probe beam after the probe beam has interacted with the sample, said monitored variations resulting from and being synchronous with the modulated pump beam; and processor means for evaluating the sample based on the monitored variations of the probe beam. A method of evaluating the integrity of a via formed between and connecting two metalized lines on a semiconductor sample, said lines being formed in different horizontal layers in the sample, said method comprising the steps of: focusing an intensity modulated pump beam of radiation at a first spot on one of said lines; focusing a probe beam of radiation at a second spot, said second spot being on said second line and being both laterally and vertically displaced from said first spot; monitoring the periodic variations in the power of the probe beam after the probe beam has interacted with the sample, said periodic variations being in phase with the modulation frequency of the pump beam and resulting from changes in the optical reflectivity at the second spot; and evaluating the integrity of the via based on the monitored variations in the power of the probe beam.
- Assignee:
- ThermaWave, Inc., Fremont, CA (United States)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5228776; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-879760
- OSTI ID:
- 6340427
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 6 May 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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