Abstract:
The depth of a denuded layer in respect to a relatively defective bulk region of a monocrystalline semiconductor wafer is estimated in a nondestructive way by measuring effective diffusion length of injected excess minority charge carriers on a surface of the wafer having such a denuded layer and on a different portion of the surface of the wafer from where the denuded layer has been previously stripped-off by lapping and/or etching and by calculating the depth of the denuded layer through a best-fit procedure or through numerical processing of the measurement results on the basis of the diffusion equations of excess minority carriers.
Abstract:
In a method for characterizing a semiconductor/substrate/dielectric layer interface through measurements of a photocurrent induced in the semiconductor by scanning a certain area of the interface with a laser beam and collected by way of a Schottky contact established by inversely biasing in respect to the potential of the bulk of the semiconductor substrate an electrolyte capable of etching any native or thermal oxide that may exist on the contact area with the semiconductor substrate, the surface potential of the semiconductor/dielectric interface is controlled by means of a gate electrode established on the dielectric layer by way of a second electrolyte not aggressive of the dielectric material and biased by an electrode immersed in the second electrolyte in respect to the potential of the bulk of the semiconductor substrate.