High-speed circuit testing using surface second harmonic generation

Summary form only given. Because optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) is forbidden in centrosymmetric media, it is an attractive technique for studying perturbations such as electric fields that lower the symmetry. In particular, several investigations have highlighted the ability to detect electric fields in silicon, thus suggesting the possibility of measuring transient electric fields propagating on silicon-integrated circuits. We demonstrate, we believe, the first direct measurement of a picosecond electrical pulse using surface SHG. The present scheme is readily applicable to silicon-based circuits without the need for any external crystals or probes and can, therefore, be used to examine high-density integrated circuits.