Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vfjqv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T02:17:07.908Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

High-resolution thermoreflectance microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2011

S.A. Thorne
Affiliation:
Departments of Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
S.B. Ippolito
Affiliation:
Departments of Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
M.S. Ünlü
Affiliation:
Departments of Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
B.B. Goldberg
Affiliation:
Departments of Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
Get access

Abstract

We present very high-resolution thermal microscopy using the technique of thermoreflectance, a non-contact measurement of the temperature in and around active semiconductor devices. By measuring the local change in reflectivity and comparing to the optical index versus temperature for the interface materials, thermoreflectance can determine the local temperature distribution. Thermoreflectance allows us to work at wavelengths much smaller than those used in typical blackbody imaging, and thus the spatial resolution is significantly improved over that of traditional thermal microscopy. In our experimental setup, we have a confocal scanning optical microscope with a tunable laser, where reflected light is detected by a silicon photodiode in a heterodyne scheme. The sample consists of a 600 nm wide poly-silicon wire embedded in silicon dioxide on top of a silicon substrate. Varying the amount and temporal shape of the current through the poly-silicon wire, we generate a controlled thermal profile to test the imaging capability. Our preliminary results indicate sub-micron thermal resolution.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Kolzer, J., Oesterschulze, E., Deboy, G.. “Thermal Imaging and Measurement Techniques for Electronic Materials and Devices,” Microelectric Engineering, 31, 251270 (1996).Google Scholar
2. Quintard, V., Dilhaire, S., Phan, T., Claeys, W.. “Temperature Measurement of Metal Lines under Current Stress by High Resolution Laser Probing,” IEEE Trans. on Instramentation and Measurement. 6974 (1999).Google Scholar
3. Tessier, G., Hole, S., Fournier, D.. “Quantitative thermal imaging by synchronous thermoreflectance with optimized illumination wavelengths,” Applied Physics Letters, 78, 16, 22672269, (2001).Google Scholar
4. Christofferson, J., Vashaee, D., Shakouri, A., Melese, P.., Xiaofeng, F., Gehong, Z., Labounty, C., Bowers, J.E.., Croke, E.T. III, “Thermoreflectance imaging of superlattice micro refrigerators,” Seventeenth Annual IEEE Semiconductor Thermal Measurement and Management Symposium, pp. 5862 (2001).Google Scholar
5. Batista, J., Mansanares, A., DaSilva, EC, Pimentael, M, Januzzi, N, Fournier, D. “Subsurface Microscopy of Biased Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Tansistor Structures: Photothermal and Electroreflectance images,” Sensors and Actuators A, 71: 4045 (1998).Google Scholar
6. Ippolito, , Goldberg, , Ünlü, , “High spatial resolution subsurface microscopy,” Applied Physics Letters, 78, pp. 4071 (2001).Google Scholar
7. Mansfield, S.M., Studenmund, W.R., Kino, G.S., Osato, K.. “High-numerical-aperature lens system for optical storage,” Optics Letters, 18, 4, 305307, (1992).Google Scholar