DETECTION OF JUNCTION FAILURES AND OTHER DEFECTS IN SILICON AND III-VDEVICES USING THE LBIC TECHNIQUE IN LATERAL CONFIGURATION

A scanning light microscope was used to obtain light beam induced curr ent (LBIC) profiles in samples containing a p-n junction either parall el or perpendicular to the surface scanned by the beam. Using this tec hnique we studied the quality of the junction of InP(n)-InP(p) diodes, which are one of the intermediate structures obtained during the proc essing of InGaAsP/InP lasers. The same technique was successfully empl oyed also for the quality control of silicon power diodes. It was thus demonstrated that the LBIC technique, operated in the standard and in the lateral configuration at a resolution better than 10 mu m, is a p owerful, nondestructive tool which can be efficiently used for the qua ntitative measure of the damage present at any kind of diode junctions .