Title :
Single-shot nanosecond thermal imaging of semiconductor devices using absorption measurements
Author :
Pogany, Dionyz ; Dubec, Viktor ; Bychikhin, Sergey ; Fürböck, Christoph ; Litzenberger, Martin ; Naumov, Sergey ; Groos, Gerhard ; Stecher, Matthias ; Gornik, Erich
Author_Institution :
Inst. for Solid State Electron., Vienna Univ. of Technol., Austria
Abstract :
A nonscanning optical method for single-shot thermal imaging of semiconductor devices is presented. The method detects changes in the band-to-band absorption due to local self-heating effects. The device is illuminated from the substrate side and the image reflected from the device topside is detected. The illumination wavelength is set near the semiconductor absorption edge. The time resolution is 5 ns, determined by the laser pulsewidth and the space resolution is about 2 μm. The method is applied to study the transient current distribution in electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices fabricated in smart power technology. The observed current spreading with time is explained in terms of a negative temperature dependence of the impact ionization coefficient. The method allows a fast analysis of the current-flow homogeneity in ESD protection and power devices.
Keywords :
current distribution; electrostatic discharge; impact ionisation; infrared imaging; integrated circuit testing; photothermal effects; power integrated circuits; power semiconductor devices; protection; semiconductor device testing; thermo-optical effects; 2 micron; 5 ns; ESD protection devices; absorption measurements; current spreading; current-flow homogeneity; electrostatic discharge protection devices; hand-to-hand absorption; impact ionization coefficient; local self-heating effects; negative temperature dependence; nonscanning optical method; photothermal effects; power devices; semiconductor devices; single-shot nanosecond thermal imaging; smart power technology; thermooptic effects; transient current distribution; Absorption; Electrostatic discharge; Nanoscale devices; Optical devices; Optical imaging; Protection; Semiconductor device measurement; Semiconductor devices; Space technology; Wavelength measurement;
Journal_Title :
Device and Materials Reliability, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TDMR.2003.815276