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

Abstract

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.

Inventors:

Maris, Humphrey J ^[1]; Stoner, Robert J ^[2]

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+ Show Inventor Affiliations

1. Barrington, RI
2. Duxbury, MA

Issue Date:

1998-05-05

Research Org.:

Brown Univ., Providence, RI (United States)

OSTI Identifier:

871531

Patent Number(s):

5748317

Assignee:

Brown University Research Foundation (Providence, RI)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

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G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N21/171 - {with calorimetric detection, e.g. with thermal lens detection}

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DOE Contract Number:  

FG02-86ER45267

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

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; /356/