By locally heating specific scan positions within a region of interest and automatically obtaining respective measurement data in a time-resolved and spatially-resolved fashion, dynamic processes within a metallization layer of semiconductor devices may be efficiently monitored and/or modified. For instance, OBIRCH and SEI techniques may be used in combination with the automated data recording and manipulation, thereby providing an efficient means for in situ failure analysis, defect identification, for any dynamic degradation processes in interconnects and interlayer dielectrics.