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Title: Apparatus and method for characterizing thin film and interfaces using an optical heat generator and detector

Patent ·
OSTI ID:871531
 [1];  [2]
  1. Barrington, RI
  2. Duxbury, MA
+ Show Author Affiliations

An optical heat generation and detection system generates a first non-destructive pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation that is directed upon a sample containing at least one interface between similar or dissimilar materials. The first pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation, a pump beam (21a), produces a non-uniform temperature change within the sample. A second non-destructive pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation, a probe beam (21b), is also directed upon the sample. Physical and chemical properties of the materials, and of the interface, are measured by observing changes in a transient optical response of the sample to the probe beam, as revealed by a time dependence of changes in, by example, beam intensity, direction, or state of polarization. The system has increased sensitivity to interfacial properties including defects, contaminants, chemical reactions and delaminations, as compared to conventional non-destructive, non-contact techniques. One feature of this invention is a determination of a Kapitza resistance at the interface, and the correlation of the determined Kapitza resistance with a characteristic of the interface, such as roughness, delamination, the presence of contaminants, etc.

Research Organization:
Brown Univ., Providence, RI (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-86ER45267
Assignee:
Brown University Research Foundation (Providence, RI)
Patent Number(s):
US 5748317
OSTI ID:
871531
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (7)

Measurements of the Kapitza conductance between diamond and several metals journal March 1992
Surface generation and detection of phonons by picosecond light pulses journal September 1986
Elastic properties of silicon oxynitride films determined by picosecond acoustics journal December 1988
Detection of Thin Interfacial Layers by Picosecond Ultrasonics journal January 1992
Kapitza conductance and heat flow between solids at temperatures from 50 to 300 K journal December 1993
Noninvasive picosecond ultrasonic detection of ultrathin interfacial layers: CF x at the Al/Si interface journal October 1992
Sound velocity and index of refraction of AlAs measured by picosecond ultrasonics journal November 1988

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apparatus
method
characterizing
film
interfaces
optical
heat
generator
detector
generation
detection
generates
non-destructive
pulsed
beam
electromagnetic
radiation
directed
sample
containing
interface
similar
dissimilar
materials
pump
21a
produces
non-uniform
temperature
change
probe
21b
physical
chemical
properties
measured
observing
changes
transient
response
revealed
time
dependence
example
intensity
direction
polarization
increased
sensitivity
interfacial
including
defects
contaminants
reactions
delaminations
compared
conventional
non-contact
techniques
feature
determination
kapitza
resistance
correlation
determined
characteristic
roughness
delamination
presence
etc
dissimilar materials
increased sensitivity
heat generator
optical heat
similar material
temperature change
beam intensity
probe beam
sample containing
optical response
electromagnetic radiation
chemical reaction
chemical reactions
pump beam
chemical properties
properties including
uniform temperature
pulsed beam
heat generation
time dependence
similar materials
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