Microelectronic circuit characterization via photothermal radiometry of scribeline recombination lifetime

Three-dimensional (3D) photothermal radiometric microscopic imaging and las er-intensity-modulation frequency scans have been used for the non-contact, non-intrusive measurement of electronic transport properties of integrated circuits in patterned 4 "-Si wafers. The experimental data showed that car rier recombination lifetimes along each scribeline remain constant. However , variations in surface recombination velocities and carrier diffusion coef ficients were found. It was further found that such variations are related to the presence of highly doped poly-Si structures adjacent to the scribeli ne. As a result of these measurements, it is concluded that scribeline phot othermal radiometric probing can be used effectively for monitoring local v alues of the carrier recombination lifetime and, through those, wafer conta mination and damage during device fabrication processing. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.