Optical methods for obtaining digital data to be used in determining, shaping or testing of semiconductor or anisotropic materials, or devices, under test through all stages of manufacture or development

Abstract

Methods are described for obtaining digital data for determining, shaping or testing a semiconductor or anisotropic device or materials under test or manufacture. Optical interferometric techniques can sense a wide region, such as that passing through or reflected off a semiconductor material, which can then be analyzed. In this manner, various characteristics of the resultant transmitted or reflected probing beam, herein called the “object wave,” are recorded in the resultant interference pattern between the object wave and the reference beam. Likewise, when the semiconductor material, such as an integrated circuit, is stressed by applying a voltage therein by energizing a circuit fabricated therein, the same light will reflect or otherwise pass through the semiconductor material, while being affected by the changes imposed upon or acting within the interior structures or interior surfaces by an applied voltage or signal, or by an incident external stress, thereby resulting in a different pattern.

1 . A method of obtaining digital data for determining, shaping or testing a semiconductor or anisotropic device or materials under test comprising:
 (a) providing a beam of light from a light source having a first wavelength;   (b) splitting the light beam having a first wavelength into a pair of beams comprising of a reference beam and an object beam,   (c) imposing the object beam on the exterior surface of the semiconductor material to generate a reflected object beam reflected from the interior structures or interior surfaces of the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or   (d) imposing said object beam on the exterior surface of the semiconductor material to generate a transmitted object beam transmitted through the interior structures or interior surfaces of the semiconductor or anisotropic material,   (e) in a first beam instance imposing said object beam of light on a test device over a spatial region within said test device substantially greater than said first wavelength, wherein said test device has a first state of refractive indexes;   (f) in a second beam instance imposing said object beam of light on said test device over said spatial region within said test device, wherein said test device has a second state of refractive indexes,   (g) imposing the reflected or transmitted object beam and the reference beam onto a detection device to create a plurality of interference patterns of the reflected or transmitted object beam with the reference beam,   (h) obtaining, displaying, transmitting, processing, or storing first electric digital data resulting from the interference of said first object beam instance within said device under test representative of voltages within said region and obtaining second electric digital data resulting from the interference of said second beam instance or within said device under test representative of the voltages within said region, and comparing by electric digital data processing said first and second electric digital data to determine operating characteristics within said device under test;   (i) displaying, transmitting, processing, or storing at least one of said operating characteristics; and   (j) wherein said first state of refractive indexes is at a first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state, and wherein said second state of refractive indexes is at a second voltage potential or electromagnetic field state different or electromagnetic signal from said first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state or electromagnetic signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein imposing a second wavelength threshold below which photo-refraction will occur or a second electromagnetic radiation of differing wavelength or intensity to bring about at least one of the following; a photo-refractive effect, a birefringence, a free carrier absorption, a photo injected carrier, a thermal emission, a photoluminescence, or an effect thereof. 
     
     
         3 . A method of obtaining digital data for determining, shaping or testing a semiconductor or anisotropic device or materials under test comprising:
 (a) providing a beam of light from a light source having a first wavelength;   (b) splitting the light beam into a pair of beams comprising of a reference beam and an object beam,   (c) imposing the object beam on the exterior surface of the semiconductor material to generate a reflected object beam reflected from the interior structures or interior surfaces of the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or   (d) imposing said object beam on the exterior surface of the semiconductor material to generate a transmitted object beam transmitted through the interior structures or interior surfaces of the semiconductor or anisotropic material,   (e) imposing said object beam of light on a test device over a spatial region within said test device substantially greater than said first wavelength, wherein said test device has at least a first state of birefringence or refraction;   (f) imposing said object beam of light on said test device over said spatial region within said test device, imposing the object beam on the exterior surface of the semiconductor material to generate a reflected or transmitted object beam reflected from the interior structures of the semiconductor material, or   (g) imposing the reflected or transmitted object beam and the reference beam onto a detection device to create a plurality of interference patterns of the reflected or transmitted object beam with the reference beam,   (h) wherein said test device has at least a second state of birefringence or refraction; and   (i) obtaining, displaying, transmitting, processing, or storing electric digital data resulting from the interference of said object beam of light within said device under test representative of voltages or electromagnetic field states or electromagnetic signals within said region;   (j) wherein said first state of birefringence or refraction is at a first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state, and wherein said second state of birefringence or refraction is at a second voltage potential or electromagnetic field state or electromagnetic signal different from said first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state or electromagnetic signal.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein imposing a second wavelength threshold below which photo-refraction will occur or a second electromagnetic radiation of differing wavelength or intensity to bring about at least one of the following; a photo-refractive effect, a birefringence, a free carrier absorption, a photo injected carrier, a thermal emission, a photoluminescence, or an effect thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A method of obtaining digital data for determining, shaping or testing a semiconductor or anisotropic device or materials device under test comprising:
 (a) providing a coherent beam of light from a light source having a first wavelength;   (b) splitting the light beam into a pair of beams comprising of a reference beam and an object beam,   (c) imposing the object beam on the exterior surface of the semiconductor material to generate a reflected object beam reflected from the interior structures of the semiconductor material, or   (k) imposing said object beam on the exterior surface of the semiconductor material to generate a transmitted object beam transmitted through the interior structures or interior surfaces of the semiconductor or anisotropic material,   (d) imposing said object beam of light on a test device over a spatial region within said test device greater than said first wavelength, wherein said test device has a first state;   (e) imposing said coherent beam of light on said test device over said spatial region within said test device, wherein said test device has a second state;   (f) imposing the reflected object beam and the reference beam onto a detection device to create a plurality of interference patterns of the reflected or transmitted object beam with the reference beam,   (g) obtaining, displaying, transmitting, processing, or storing electric digital data resulting from the interference of said object coherent beam of light within said device under test representative of the voltages or electromagnetic field states or electromagnetic signals within said region;   (h) wherein said first state is at a first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state, and wherein said second state is at a second voltage potential or electromagnetic field different from said first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state or electromagnetic signal.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein imposing a second wavelength threshold below which photo-refraction will occur or a second electromagnetic radiation of differing wavelength or intensity to bring about at least one of the following; a photo-refractive effect, a birefringence, a free carrier absorption, a photo injected carrier, a thermal emission, a photoluminescence, or an effect thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method of obtaining digital data for determining, shaping or testing a semiconductor or anisotropic device or materials under test comprising:
 (a) providing a beam of light from a light source having a first wavelength;   (b) imposing said beam of light on a test device transmitted through or reflected from the interior surfaces or structures over a spatial region within said test device substantially greater than said first wavelength, wherein said test device has at least a first state of birefringence or refraction;   (c) imposing said beam of light on said test device over said spatial region within said test device, wherein said test device has at least a second state of birefringence or refraction; and   (d) obtaining, displaying, transmitting, processing, or storing electric digital data resulting from the interference of said beam of light transmitted through or reflected from the interior surfaces or structures within said device under test representative of voltages or electromagnetic field states or electromagnetic signals within said region;   (e) wherein said first state of birefringence or refraction is at a first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state, and wherein said second state of birefringence or refraction is at a second voltage potential or electromagnetic field state different from said first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state or electromagnetic signal.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein imposing a second wavelength threshold below which photo-refraction will occur or a second electromagnetic radiation of differing wavelength or intensity to bring about at least one of the following; a photo-refractive effect, a birefringence, a free carrier absorption, a photo injected carrier, a thermal emission, a photoluminescence, or an effect thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the states of the semiconductor material is an external stress, the external stress being produced by imposing incident radio waves or signals acting upon the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the states of the semiconductor material is an external stress, the external stress being produced by imposing incident r x-rays or an ion-beam acting upon the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the states of the semiconductor material is an external stress, the external stress being produced by incident magnetic fields or electromagnetic signals acting upon the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the states of the semiconductor material is an external stress, the external stress being produced by incident chemical solutions acting upon the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one or more detector devices records a plurality of interference patterns of a plurality of one or more external stresses which produce a change in the state of the refractive indexes or birefringence states of the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the states of the semiconductor material is a plurality of one or more external stresses are caused being produced by imposing a plurality of electromagnetic radiation stresses of one or more beams of differing wavelengths shorter than the characteristic threshold for the semiconductor material or anisotropic material, or device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein one or more beams incident to the semiconductor acting upon the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or device, and the interference pattern of each beam are recorded or detected by one or more recording or detector devices. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the states of the semiconductor material is an external stress detected by means of triggering the recording or storage device of a plurality of interference patterns in synchrony with the imposition of a plurality of one or more external or internal stresses or electromagnetic signals or external stresses acting upon the semiconductor or anisotropic material, or device. 
     
     
         17 . A method of obtaining digital data for determining, shaping or testing a semiconductor or anisotropic device or materials under test comprising:
 (a) providing a beam of light from a light source having a first wavelength;   (b) in a first beam instance imposing said beam of light on a test device transmitted through or reflected from the interior surfaces or structures over a spatial region within said test device substantially greater than said first wavelength, wherein said test device has a first state of refractive indexes;   (c) in a second beam instance imposing said beam of light on said test device over said spatial region within said test device, wherein said test device has a second state of refractive indexes;   (d) obtaining, displaying, transmitting, processing, or storing first electric digital data resulting from the interference of said first beam instance of light transmitted through or reflected from the interior surfaces or structures within said device under test representative of voltages or electromagnetic signals within said region and obtaining second electric digital data resulting from the interference of said second beam instance within said device under test representative of the voltages or electromagnetic signals within said region, and comparing by electric digital data processing said first and second electric digital data to determine operating characteristics within said device under test;   (e) displaying, transmitting, processing, or storing at least one of said operating characteristics; and   (f) wherein said first state of refractive indexes is at a first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state, and wherein said second state of refractive indexes is at a second voltage potential or electromagnetic field state different from said first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state or electromagnetic signal.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein imposing a second wavelength threshold below which photo-refraction will occur or a second electromagnetic radiation of differing wavelength or intensity to bring about at least one of the following; a photo-refractive effect, a birefringence, a free carrier absorption, a photo injected carrier, a thermal emission, a photoluminescence, or an effect thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A method of obtaining digital data for determining, shaping or testing a semiconductor or anisotropic device or materials device under test comprising:
 (a) providing a coherent beam of light from a light source having a first wavelength;   (b) imposing said coherent beam of light on a test device transmitted through or reflected from the interior surfaces or structures over a spatial region within said test device greater than said first wavelength, wherein said test device has a first state;   (c) imposing said coherent beam of light on said test device over said spatial region within said test device, wherein said test device has a second state;   (d) obtaining, displaying, transmitting, processing, or storing electric digital data resulting from the interference of said coherent beam of light transmitted through or reflected from the interior surfaces or structures within said device under test representative of the voltages or electromagnetic field states or electromagnetic signals within said region;   (e) wherein said first state is at a first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state, and wherein said second state is at a second voltage potential or electromagnetic field different from said first voltage potential or electromagnetic field state or electromagnetic signal.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein imposing a second wavelength threshold below which photo-refraction will occur or a second electromagnetic radiation of differing wavelength or intensity to bring about at least one of the following; a photo-refractive effect, a birefringence, a free carrier absorption, a photo injected carrier, a thermal emission, a photoluminescence, or an effect thereof.